You're The Only One
by Ione-Sama
Summary: "He couldn't deny how much he loved being the one that could get to her like that. He secretly hoped he'd be the only one." Rated T for some language and future sensuality. Possible Stephan/Caroline in future chapters just because I'm sick of Elena always being in the spotlight! But mainly Damon/Bonnie so read and be enraptured!
1. No-Goodbye Regrets

Damon stepped off the plane and entered the terminal. After two years of absence, he was finally coming…home. After they'd found the tomb two years before, only to discover that Katharine's body was not among the dead-that it never had been-Damon had been so devastated and broken-hearted, he couldn't stand to remain in the place that held so many memories, for a moment longer. He'd left Stephan a note the night before and left the following morning, just before dawn. Stephan held no contempt towards his older brother…his heart only ached with sympathy and sincere hope that somewhere, somehow, his brother would finally find happiness and true peace of mind.

And now, two years later, Damon was returning home and no one was more ecstatic than his little brother, Stephan. Damon had gone on a journey of self-discovery and now, as he moved through the airport to the baggage claim, he thought back on how far his journey had brought him. He was still the same charismatic, arrogant and cynical man he'd always been but something had changed deep inside him; he no longer feigned indifference to those around him. Somehow he'd found the courage to bury the memory of Katharine not in his heart but in the ground so to speak-he'd really let her go and for the first time, was truly moving on in his life. He also found that he wanted a different life-other than the one he'd lead of continuous carousing and drunkenness-and he wanted to be surrounded by those few people that genuinely cared for him. He never again wanted to lose that, to go off alone, living his life in dark isolation from warmth, friendship and love. He was ready to _live _again and this time he vowed to himself that nothing would ever stop him from finding true happiness. Just then, as he cleared the busy crowed, he spotted Stephan just beyond the swinging glass doors with a perky blond bouncing up and down by his side. _Caroline. _He'd recognize that perky nose and flouncing curls anywhere and despite himself, Damon couldn't hide the smile that crept onto his lips.

"Damon!" Stephan called, raising his hand in a wave.

Damon exhaled shakily when the realization of how much he'd missed his little brother, broad-sided him. Closing the distance between them, he dropped his luggage and engulfed him in a brotherly hug. "Great to see you, little brother…it's been a decade."

Stephan chuckled softly as he returned the hug…a little surprised by Damon's display of affection that was so rare. "Yes, two years is definitely way too long, Damon."

Just then, Damon held Stephan at arms length, a mischievous grin played at the corners of his mouth. "And here I thought I was doing you a favor; giving you space so you and Elena could _finally _have time to yourselves for baby-making! I mean com'on, Stephan, that girl's gonna leave you if you don't start jumping her bones more often."

Stephan gave an exasperated sigh…some things he guessed, would just never change; no matter how long Damon had been away, there would always be that same arrogant, inappropriate and charismatic way about him. "You're a pig, you know that?"

"Profound." Damon responded with a faux serious expression as he turned his attention to Caroline. "Well well, if it isn't Ms. Beauty queen on steroids-so kind of you to chaperone my little brother to the airport, Barbie…no telling what he'd get himself into without someone keeping an eye on him." He lowered his voice and winked at her as he eyed Stephan in faux suspicion.

Caroline shook her head, and standing on tip toe, she threw her arms around Damon's neck and kissed him firmly on the cheek. "Welcome home, Damon."

Damon gave a quizzical look towards Stephan. "Was I really _this _missed?"

"Definitely not, I mean God forbid we should miss you when you've _only _been gone _two years!_" Stephan gasped sarcastically, holding a hand to his heart mockingly.

Damon rolled his eyes, grinning. "Well it's good to see that you've finally developed some semblance of humor in my absence, little brother-all that gloomy brooding was giving me a chafing rash."

Stephan shook his head as he hoisted two of Damon's bags over his shoulder and nodded at the two to follow him. They made their way out of the busy airport and loaded Damon's belongings into the back of Caroline's red Lexus.

"Really, Care? A Lexus?" Damon's eyebrow rose as he eyed the blond.

"Hey, I've got a pretty awesome job now, ok? You'll find that a lot's changed in the two years you've been gone." They all climbed in and Caroline started the engine.

"Well please do enlighten me; has our quaint little Quaker town developed a strip club finally?"

Caroline shook her head, smirking as she backed out of the parking lot. "Actually, you're not far off-casino actually…right off of main street. Complete with hotel, pool and outdoor mini golf course."

"You've got to be kidding me right? I leave and all the good stuff starts to happen?!"

Stephan laughed at his brother's genuine outburst. "Well then it's good that you decided to move back home then…you'll get a share in all the fun. As far as a club, there is one just adjoining the club…it's part of the building but separately owned…kind of a joint-profit business of sorts; two brothers from Puerto Rico actually started the club and now own it as well…their cousin is the hotel and casino manager and owner."

"Ah so sin-city business runs in the family…isn't that just sweet and fuzzy." Damon laughed incredulously but his eyes sparkled with a hint of excitement.

# # # #

An hour later, the group pulled into town and Damon's eyes widened at the few yet surprising changes that met him. There was the casino and hotel that Caroline mentioned and sure enough, right next to it was the night club…the blaring neon sign read "Burlesque."

"Alright so I've definitely missed a lot then; you two weren't shitting me."

Caroline and Stephan smiled triumphantly as they cruised down Main street then rounded the bend that lead to the outskirts of down-town and towards the Salvatore mansion.

"After two years you still live in that museum Stephan? I'm disappointed, I thought that by now you would've chosen something a bit more modern!" Damon faux pouted and Stephan only shook his head as they pulled through the gate and down the long driveway. "Damon, this has been our home for over a century now…you know that."

Damon rolled his eyes at his brother's sentimental musings. "Yeah, yeah save it…I get that you're sentimentality is worse than a bitch but seriously…"

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with a little nostalgia, Damon." Caroline chimed in as she squeezed Stephan's hand and he graciously smiled back at her. "If Stephan feels better with the familiarity of old memories surrounding him and a bit of old-fashioned sentimentalism, I think he should be allowed some leniency!"

Damon's face deadpanned as he noticed the blonde's hand still clasped to his brother's. "O…k so what the hell am I missing; when did you two know each other so well?"

Stephan and Caroline both chuckled. "Caroline and I have grown close since the last time we all…well we're best friends now, Damon…there's been a lot that's…happened and we've all needed each other more than ever before."

Damon's face grew serious as he detected double-meaning behind Stephan's solemn words. "Ok I'm missing something…what's happened."

Caroline's eyes grew deep with sadness and Stephan automatically squeezed her hand. "Damon…a lot has happened. For starters um…Elena and Stephan have been…having problems and…since….Jeremy's…" Caroline bit her lip as her eyes pooled with a few tears.

"Care, speak up. What's little Gilbert done this time?!"

"He's…Jeremy's _dead _Damon."

Damon's face clouded over as his eyes stared blankly back into Caroline's. "He…something happened to him; we don't know what…but he was just…different all of a sudden; a lot more withdrawn than usual and then he started disappearing for days at a time and it was driving Elena crazy. Not only that, but Bonnie was being followed. We don't know who but someone's been watching us…all of us and they obviously knew enough to know that Jeremy had been separating himself from the group…we think…we think that he might have been…caught up in something and Tyler…Tyler knows something about it but he won't say anything to anyone…not even to me." at that, Caroline's lip trembled at the thought of her now-ex boyfriend of three months.

"When…when did this happen?" Damon asked; his voice was thick with tension.

"Four months ago…It's been devastating for Elena…and she…hasn't been doing too well. Stephan does what he can but Elena…she's withdrawing too and it's almost like she…"

"She blames me for Jeremy's death." Stephan finished simply.

"Wait….what?! How the fuck is it your fault?" Damon burst out as they all exited the car, making their way indoors.

Stephan shook his head as he set Damon's bags down in the entry. Damon followed but dropped his bags more harshly. "She feels…she feels frightened, Damon…none of us know what's going on but of course, it has to be something…supernatural…more like _someone _from our past because how else would they have even come here if it wasn't somehow connected with you and I?"

Damon fell silent…he knew Stephan was probably right but that didn't make him anymore pleased that the doppelganger was now blaming his brother when Stephan had done and always would do anything for her…now he was definitely very pissed off. "This is…bullshit, Stephan and you know it! You've never done anything but look out for Jeremy and Elena fucking knows that!" Damon pointed his index finger at his brother, strongly punctuating his point.

Stephan raised his hands, semi-defensively. "I know…I know that Damon but at the same time I can't blame her for looking at me first…if it wasn't for me, she'd never have been drawn into this supernatural world that's nothing but a constant look over your shoulder…you know this as well as I do that our life…our world is never fully a hundred percent safe; there will always be someone or something out there looking for us; the past will never fully rest…not for long."

"I still call bullshit on her for blaming you of all people I mean…blaming me? Yeah that honestly makes more sense but you? You're her fucking boyfriend, she's supposed to be trusting that you of all people will be working the hardest to find out whoever did this."

Caroline observed Damon's heated accusations at Elena and she couldn't help but partially share in his opinion; Stephan never did anything to hurt Elena…he'd given her everything any girl could ever want and yet, she still always found some stupid reason to blame him or fight with him…it was ridiculous and sometimes, Caroline just wanted to smack the selfish stupidity out of her friend so she could see what an awesome thing she had with Stephan.

_Caroline would've given anything to have exactly what Elena had though she'd never openly admit that to anyone. _

Damon shook his head as he leaned his back against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. "There's no pleasing her…not completely; she's always gotta be bitchy and nit picky about one thing or another, of course! She's always been this way I mean why should any of us think that it would be any different?" His voice was laced with harsh sarcasm as a knock sounded at the front door.

Stephan stood to his feet and eyed Damon carefully. "Damon I understand that you're upset and I'm…really sorry that this is what you had to come back to; I really just wanted you to be able to live your life with peace of mind for once…" He shook his head sadly. "That's Elena at the door…please just…don't say anything right now; she's upset over Jeremy and like Caroline said, she really isn't doing good at all…but she wanted to come over tonight because she knew you were going to be coming home so…please just try to be understanding…at least for my sake."

Damon threw his hands up in the air in defeat. "You know you're an ass for evoking my brotherly obligation to support you…especially when she's being a complete bitch to you." Damon was not at all happy with this and he sure as hell wasn't even going to pretend to be…but if there was one thing that two years of being absent had taught him, it was that his little brother was the single most important person in his life ever…and he'd nearly screwed that up. Not this time, this time he knew that no matter how much he despised every moment of it, he'd suffer Elena's company…for the sake of his brother. "Fine…but you owe me a shit load of bourbon after this because I swear to God, I'm gonna want nothing more than to drown out this memory before it fries my last shred of sanity."

Stephan shook his head at his brother's dramatic exclamations but he smiled at him in gratitude as he headed to answer the door.

Caroline moved to stand by Damon and she rubbed his arm up and down gently as she gave him a sympathetic look.

Damon looked down into her sad and sympathetic blue eyes and just heaved a defeated sigh with a shake of his head. "This is bullshit, Care…you know it is; I know Elena's your friend but you and Stephan are best friends now-which I still can't quite wrap my mind around but that's beside the point-the point is, you know him like I do and you know this is complete bullshit what she's pulling!"

Caroline nodded sadly as her fingers drifted down to his, giving them a comforting squeeze. "I know, Damon…I know but you know how he is when it comes to Elena…hell, if they were both drowning, he'd let her use him as a life-raft if it meant she'd be glowing with satisfaction the whole fucking time."

"Well, I just hope he knows what the hell he's doing because…something smells so wrong in this situation…and what makes it worse is I can feel it in my bones, Blondie…there's nothing 'rational' or 'understandable' about any of this…aside from her losing Jeremy and even that's a bullshit excuse for her blaming Stephan…he's done nothing but blow sunshine up her ass from the very first moment they met." Damon's jaw flexed and his fists clenched at his sides as he felt more and more rage boiling to the surface…but he kept it expertly controlled, a skill he'd been perfecting for more than a century. Taking the last dreg from his glass of bourbon, he pursed his lips in a hard, straight line and set his jaw as Elena and Stephan entered the living room.

_This was going to be a long, long night. _

# # # #

Bonnie glanced at her watch and then at the wall clock. It was already six thirty and Elena still hadn't returned any of her texts. The two were supposed to get together that day for a bit of shopping and coffee at star bucks afterwards…but it seemed that her friend had once again, 'forgot' about their little get-together in favor of other plans. Bonnie sighed frustratingly-Elena had never been the most punctual of people but she was getting worse lately…Bonnie knew that Jeremy's untimely death had a lot to do with that and she understood but at the same time, she sometimes felt her friend was withdrawing more than was usual; even after her parents died, Elena hadn't been so far bent on pushing her away this much…she'd needed her space, sure but she'd needed Bonnie's support much more than she appeared to now and it hurt the witch that Elena seemed to forget or not even care that she was trying her best to be there for her. Bonnie had dropped everything, literally in her life; after graduation two years ago, she'd left Mystic Falls to attend NYU and for the past two years, she'd been pursuing her dreams as a professional singer and dancer. Then, almost four months ago, tragedy had struck and she'd put her education and her blooming Broadway career on hold to return to her hometown for awhile in order to be there for her friend. Elena had been like a sister to her in all the years they'd grown up together but now, she wasn't so sure anymore. Just then, her phone rang and she picked it up hurriedly. "Hello?"

"Bonnie, it's Stephan…I'm sorry but I just remembered that you and Elena had plans for tonight…she's here at the mansion…she kind of forgot…"

Bonnie sighed heavily. "Yeah I…kind of figured that."

"Look why don't you come over for a bit-she's been having an especially rough day today but I know she wants to see you…we can order out and just hang out for a bit here tonight…I think it'd be best for her."

Bonnie struggled between sympathy for the rough time Elena was having and the frustration of always having to sacrifice and cater to _her _needs. "Alright, sure Stephan…just give me ten minutes and I'll be there."

"Thank you, Bonnie…I know she'll love seeing you."

Bonnie rolled her eyes but nodded as she hung up the phone. Bonnie hadn't had a chance to change yet when she came home from work-she worked at the local casino as a beverage server and bartender during the day and then at night, she was one of the lead singers and dance performers at Burlesque. Her sequenced costume still clung to her curves as she pulled out a beige pencil skirt and white, short-sleeved button down blouse from her closet and tossed them on the bed. In less than three minutes, she was dressed and her hair was pulled back away from her face and pinned up in a sophisticated but relaxed bun with a few strands of dark curls framing her face. Her work make-up was a bit over-dramatic for a casual visit to Stephan's but she dismissed it with a huff as she grabbed her keys and flew out the door, locking it behind her.

# # # #

A little over five minutes later, Bonnie was pulling up to the large Salvatore mansion in her sleek black corvette. Turning off the engine, she checked her hair one last time in the rearview mirror then climbed out, slamming the car door behind her. Her beige high heels clicked rhythmically on the smooth pavement as she climbed the steps to the large oak double doors. She smoothed her hair back and knocked three times.

She heard footsteps from within and then the door opened as Stephan's tall slender form appeared in the entrance. "Bonnie, come in!" He smiled softly at her and she returned it as she stepped past him and the sounds of laughter and music met her ears. "Please, come in…we're just relaxing in the living room…the background music was Caroline's idea." He grinned and Bonnie shook her head as a knowing smile spread across her lips. "Ne-yo…yeah that doesn't surprise me."

_**Much as you blame yourself**_

_** You can't be blamed for the way that you feel**_

_** Had no example of a love that was even remotely real**_

_** …Oh baby if you let me, I can help you out with all of that**_

Bonnie shook her head as the verse transitioned into the high-beat chorus, echoing through the halls. As she followed Stephan into the spacious sitting area, she suddenly froze in her tracks and nearly choked on her breath when she heard a deep, familiar voice, laced with sarcasm.

"Hey all, look who's joined us." Stephan called cheerfully and all eyes turned towards the doorway. Everyone smiled casually and waved to Bonnie but there were a pair of piercing blue eyes that only stared in stunned silence, shock and surprise were written across the perfectly chiseled features.

_**Girl let me love you**_

_** And I will love you**_

_** Until you learn to love yourself**_

_** Girl let me love you**_

_** And all your trouble**_

_** Don't be afraid**_

_** Girl let me help**_

Bonnie couldn't believe her eyes…those intense blue eyes couldn't be staring back into her emerald ones…it had to be a mirage…

_But it wasn't. Damon Salvatore's eyes looked right back into hers and even after two years, his gaze still made her skin burn and her heart tremble…something she would never admit._

"Judgey…?" Damon nearly whispered as he stood to his feet. His tall broad form still stood taller than her own, despite her four-inch heels.

After an eternity, Bonnie found her voice and forcing herself into composure, her hands moved to her hips in a confident stance. "Well…that explains a lot." She said as her eyes drifted to Elena who only mouthed an apology, realizing she'd once again, blown off her friend on the account of this present distraction.

For the first time in his life, Damon Salvatore felt genuinely at a loss for words and everyone in the room seemed to notice…especially Stephan. Usually his brother would have had some clever snarky comeback accompanied by one of his signature grins…but the older Salvatore only stood there, dumb-founded…his usual poker face faltered slightly at the sight of Bonnie.

She looked…the same…and yet so different. He couldn't quite pin-point it; from her tall heels that showed off the length of her gorgeous, slender legs to the well-fitting pencil skirt that hugged her curves, she somehow looked much more…grown up than he remembered. Granted, it had been two years but he'd somehow hadn't expected her to look this changed…this…_womanly. _Her dark hair was still the same, though presently pulled back in a delicate bun…though a few strands of curl had obviously escaped and now cascaded around her delicate face. Her emerald eyes stared back into his, unfaltering but he caught sight of a trace of something other than obvious surprise….there was a hint of _regret _and possible hurt there…and even a bit of _anger _that he easily detected along the edges of her emerald irises. It was still Bonnie….and yet it wasn't.

"Damon. Of all the people that I ever expected to see…you were…definitely nowhere on the list." She admitted finally.

Suddenly, Damon managed to snap out of his trance and a snarky grin appeared on his lips as his eyes twinkled mischievously. "Well I'm sure it's a pleasant surprise…especially since my good looks have been absent for quite some time." He winked at her and she scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

"Well I see that some things _never change…unfortunately._" She punctuated the last part of her sentence as she brushed past him and walked towards Caroline and Elena who were sitting together on the love seat near the fireplace.

The smell of her hair was a deep, spicy scent of cinnamon mixed with vanilla that wafted towards Damon's nose as she brushed past him. He noticed how she conscientiously avoided any physical contact as she moved past him and he wondered when she'd become so cautious and self-aware.

"Bonnie, I'm so sorry! I completely forgot about this evening…I feel terrible." Elena apologized profusely as Bonnie leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"It's alright, Lena, I understand…It's been a haywire week…_obviously._" Her last word was punctuated as her eyes drifted back to Damon who still held his gaze on her. _The intensity of his gaze affected her in more ways than one and for a fleeting moment, she wondered what was going through his mind at this very moment. _

"Well Blondie gave me a hug and kiss at the airport and Elena gave me hug when she got here…So that means you have to top them, Judgey." He wiggled his eyebrows and winked at her seductively which she only returned with a scowl and roll of her eyes.

Damon gave a faux pout but she detected a subtle look of genuine hurt pass through his blue eyes, fading just as quickly as it appeared. "What, no kiss? No hug?…not even a handshake for old times' sake, Judgey?" His hands were spread out in a waiting gesture as his deep blue eyes searched hers for any indication that she'd missed him.

Bonnie sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, she had missed him. His arrogance, cynicism, sarcasm and innuendos drove her up a wall to the point she often times wanted to set him on fire…but after two years of not seeing him or even hearing from him…a part of her had begun to feel empty…_incomplete _and she had missed being around him in an odd way.

_Though deep down, she missed him far much more than she could ever admit to herself. _

Suddenly, she felt a lump rise in her throat and knew she had to make an escape…and fast. "I um, I have to go." She blurted suddenly and all eyes, including Damon's, gazed at her confused. "It was good seeing you guys…I've missed hanging out like this." She admitted softly as her eyes met everyone's faces except for Damon's. "Stephan, thanks for having me over." She addressed the younger Salvatore who in turn, gave her one of his signature gracious smiles.

"you're welcome here anytime, Bonnie."

She nodded as she turned and left the room without another word.

Damon stood frozen in the middle of the room, his eyes lingering on the spot where she had stood only five feet from him.

"Damon?" Caroline moved to stand beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

He glanced at her blankly than back towards the door where Bonnie had left. "Leaving without even a goodbye?" He spoke suddenly. "Fuck that." And he was stalking off after her, his jaw set as his eyes squinted in confusion and a hint of irritation.

"Well…_that _wasn't awkward at all." Caroline uttered sarcastically as she plopped down on the couch next to Stephan.

"There's…definitely tension between those two." He admitted simply. "What I'd like to know is…why on earth would Bonnie's presence suddenly leave Damon fumbling for words."

"Yeah! I mean…I've _never _seen him like that before! He was practically gaping at every oraphis when she walked into the room!"

"What do you mean?" Elena's timid voice suddenly broke the tension in the room.

Caroline tossed her a careless look then met Stephan's gaze.

"None of us has seen Damon in awhile…maybe they're just surprised you know?"

_Elena could only hope that that was all it was but she wouldn't admit her sudden interest in Damon and Bonnie's relationship, to anyone._

"Um no, it's not at all the same." Caroline countered. "There's definitely something _different _between those two." Caroline answered pensively as her eyes drifted back to where her two friends had exited the room so hastily.

_Something was definitely different and she could see it in Damon's eyes when he looked at Bonnie._

# # # #

"Hey Judgey! Hold up." Damon called after Bonnie as he hurried down the steps after her. She made no apparent move to acknowledge him as her heels clicked rapidly across the pavement.

_Why was she so determined to ignore him? And more importantly, why was she in such a hurry to get away from him? _

_Damon wasn't giving up until he found out._

"Bonnie, stop right there." He ordered firmly.

Bonnie stopped abruptly…she knew that tone of voice. It was the side of Damon that was suddenly dead serious…all jokes aside and she knew to ignore him now would royally piss him off; she was definitely not in the mood to deal with the pissed off Damon so she sighed in defeat as she turned around to face him.

He jogged up to her, stopping just a few feet away as his icy blue eyes met her steady emerald stare. "What gives? You show up here…I haven't seen you in two years and then you decide to just walk out without even a 'nice to see you again'…like it never happened?"

She scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest and glared at him. "Interesting coming from you since _you _were the one who left in the first place…and the only one you said goodbye too was Stephan…and even then all you left was a lame ass note. Some way to show your own brother that you care." Her eyes narrowed at him.

"That's what this is about? Because I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye to anyone because I'm not good at goodbye; that's why you're so pissed? Com'on Bonnie, you of all people should know I'm not good at that."

She laughed bitterly, giving him another strong glare. "See that's so typical Damon; it's always excuses with you! You never own up to anything because that's just easier for you-detached, distant and indifferent-it's always worked for you because you're comfortable that way. But when someone else treats you the same way, oh, all of a sudden you're all bent out of shape! Well excuse me if I don't bend over and kiss ass, Damon. Excuse me for not being like Elena who-despite the fact that she had a boyfriend-drops everything whenever you decide to drift back into our lives; maybe she can pretend like everything's always _normal _but I can't. Sue me."

Damon stood motionless as Bonnie's venomous words hit him like a solid wall-her eyes were fiery and her stance was aggressive as if she'd set him on fire at any moment. Her voice was raised, tense and angry but he heard something else behind her aggravated tones.

_She was hurting. He'd left two years ago with no idea how much it would affect everyone…and it was obviously affecting her the most though she'd never admit it. _

"Don't give me shit about 'walking out' when _you _were the one who walked away first!" She yelled at him, her index finger pointing at him accusingly.

"I couldn't be here anymore, Judgey…don't you get that!?" He shot back at her and for the first time in a full ten minutes, Bonnie shut her mouth.

"I couldn't be here and just pretend that everything was normal. It wasn't 'normal' for me, Bonnie. None of it. I had to get the hell out of here…for a while. I had to clear my head because I was already so fucked up. If I had stayed I would've driven all of you beyond insane, don't you get it?

Her emerald eyes softened ever so slightly as she watched the frustration pass through his dark blue ones.

For the first time in his life, Damon Salvatore hung his head in blatant defeat. At length, he raised his eyes again to meet hers and she saw a deep sincerity that he'd never openly admit. "Look, Judgey…I know I left without a word to anyone…and to be honest, the person I most regret not saying goodbye to is you."

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise at his honest confession but she had nothing to say-she didn't know how to respond so she only stared at the ground for a moment, biting her lip.

"I don't expect you to forgive me…hell, you're stubborn about every other damn thing about us so it's not like I expect this to be any different."

She met his eyes again and this time, she couldn't tear hers away as the intensity and depth of his gaze paralyzed her.

_She hated how after all this time, he could still affect her in the same aggravating and wonderful way. _

"…but I came back because…because I want to…I want to make it up to you…and to Stephan and Caroline." He spoke Stephan and Caroline's names as if they were more of an after-thought…

_Or as a way to hide from her what he was really thinking._

"Just…you don't have to forgive me, Bonnie…Hell you can punish me for as long as you want but just know that…know that I'm not gonna give up this time. I'm…I plan on staying for good and I don't care how long it takes, I'll bug you, pester you and annoy the living hell out of you until you talk to me again."

Bonnie tried her best to hide the smile that played on her lips; she knew Damon was right.

_He'd fight her and annoy her until the day she died._

She sighed as she resigned herself to that all-too-familiar reality that Damon Salvatore would always be there, whether she liked it or not.

_She was a liar if she ever thought she wouldn't need him there always._

She took a long moment to look into his eyes and for the first time in the years they'd known each other, Bonnie Bennett never looked away. She closed the distance between them and stood right before him, looking up into his deep blue eyes as she felt her heart tremble and her knees weaken when he gave her that _look. _

_Damn him and that look._

"Com'on Judgey…you know I'm not going anywhere until you give in." He told her with an arrogant stubborn look in his eyes. "We can go at this for the next century if you want but I wouldn't recommend resisting that long…you don't wanna be grey by the time you forgive me because then I'll make you pay for making me wait that long!"

She scoffed and shook her head but there was a playful twinkle in her eyes that didn't go unnoticed by Damon and slowly, a smile of triumph appeared on his lips when he realized he was already cracking through her walls.

_He couldn't deny how much he loved being the only one that could get to her like that. He secretly hoped he'd be the only one. _

Then, Bonnie surprised him by snaking her arms around his neck in a warm-though hesitant-hug. He was momentarily at a loss at her sudden open display but he smiled to himself when he felt her heart rate increase and pound against his chest.

_He knew she'd never admit it…but he always had that affect on her and he knew it._

"You're an arrogant ass." She stated matter-of-factly, her chin resting on his shoulder.

He couldn't help the gentle smile that spread over his lips as his arms wrapped unashamedly around her waist. "You know it, Bennett."


	2. I Never Meant to

Bonnie walked through the glass doors of Mystic Falls Café and, spotting a perky blonde who was seated at the far side by the window, she waved, crossing the floor and embracing her. "Hey Care."

"Hey Bon, thanks so much for meeting me."

Bonnie nodded and smiled. "Of course, Babe!"

Caroline smiled at the nickname Bonnie and her had always used for each other, as they settled themselves into the booth. A young brunette waitress presently approached them and asked for their orders. Bonnie ordered a dark chocolate and cinnamon cappuccino and Caroline ordered white hot chocolate. The brunette nodded and cheerily exclaimed she'd be back right away with their orders.

"So what's up, Care? You sounded kind of…urgent in your voicemail."

Caroline pressed her lips together and Bonnie noticed her hands were shaking…now she was getting worried.

"Caroline? Com'on Babe what's going on?" She reached a hand over, gently laying it over Caroline's and the blonde looked up into her eyes…her crystal blue ones were genuinely full of fear and worry.

"Bon…yesterday…well no, it was more like four months ago; before you got here…when Elena got the news about Jeremy. She suddenly…just _changed. _And I mean I get how devastated she was and still is because he was the only family she had left. But she and Stephan…they weren't the same. She was so touchy with him about a lot of things and at first, we just attributed it to her stress but then her and Stephan started getting into full blown fights…which were more one-sided; Elena screaming and Stephan just standing there calmly. Well it wasn't long before she started…blaming him…for what happened to Jeremy."

Bonnie's eyes widened in astonishment. "Care…how is that even possible?" Elena is head-over-heels in love with Stephan; how can she do that to him?!" Bonnie's voice was low but exasperated.

"I don't know, Bon but over the last few months, it's gone on and…you wouldn't believe the toll it's taken on Stephan. And the thing is, the only person he's ever been able to talk to is me…."

Bonnie nodded immediately. "Well of course! You and Elena are close so naturally he'd go to you and with Damon having been MIA the last two years, he really didn't have anyone else there for support." Bonnie's eyes darkened slightly as she recalled Damon's long absence; she was still angry…and deeply hurt…that he had left so abruptly without a word to any of them.

_Especially to her. _

"Yes but, Bonnie….you don't…." Caroline heaved a shaky sigh, flipping the swooping bangs out of her eyes as she struggled to find words. "Bon, Stephan has been coming to me _a lot. _because most times, Elena is cooped up in her room or she's simply completely unmanageable as far as no one can have a civil conversation with her! But…that's not really the point in why I'm telling you this."

Bonnie waited expectantly for Caroline to continue. The blonde seemed impossibly apprehensive for whatever reason and Bonnie's patience waned as her curiosity piqued.

"Stephan and I have grown…_close. _He feels like my best friend in so many ways and…but it's…Bonnie yesterday when we were on our way to pick up Stephan….something…._happened._"

"Care, I love you but for god sake, stop speaking cryptically!"

"Bonnie, I almost _kissed _him!" Caroline shot back, exasperated.

Bonnie's mouth slammed shut and for full two minutes, she stared blankly at her friend.

Caroline bit her lip nervously and a few tears pooled in the depths of her aquamarine orbs.

"Care…?" Bonnie's voice is barely above a whisper as she took Caroline's hands in both of hers.

"Bonnie…I don't know how it happened but it's just…He was just sharing with me about the fight he and Elena had that morning and I could tell he was just torn by it; he didn't know what to do…I've never seen Stephan so lost, he's always been so sure of himself especially when it came to Elena. But I just…I could see he was struggling, Bon and I just…I just gave him a hug, that's all I did, I swear!"

"Care…calm down, you're shaking like a leaf!"

"And then I just…I don't know, when we pulled back, I caught his eyes and its like…it's like we were caught up in some kind of movie moment and I could feel my body leaning in and I swear to God, Bonnie, I was screaming in my head 'what the fuck are you doing!' but it's like…it's like I wasn't even in control of myself anymore!"

Bonnie bit her lip and suddenly the truth dawned on her-the truth behind what her friend was saying hit her like a tidal wave and she nearly felt like she was drowning. "Oh my god…you're _in love _with him." She gazed across the table at Caroline; her eyes were not a hint of judgmental…only wide with awe and amazement.

"…I feel like…I…can't breathe! What…am I…gonna do?! Bonnie….how am I ever gonna…breathe…again?!" Caroline uttered in between choking sobs as her crystal blue eyes filled with tears that spilled over her pale cheeks. In a split second, Bonnie was out of her seat and in the other girl's side of the booth, hugging her tightly.

Caroline clung to Bonnie as if her life depended on it and the quiet sobs shook her slender frame. Suddenly, they were both thankful that they'd chosen a both that was in a quiet corner at the far end of the café.

"Care…everything's gonna be ok, do you here me? I'll…we'll get through this ok? Just trust me, Babe it's gonna work out." She comfortingly soothed Caroline, rubbing circles on her back as she whispered softly to her. "It's going to be ok, I promise."

_But deep down inside, Bonnie Bennett didn't know if that was a promise she would be able to keep… because either way, someone would end up with a broken heart._

# # # #

Bonnie offered Caroline to stay at her house for a few days and the blonde was so thankful that she nearly burst into tears all over again. After stopping by Caroline's to pick up her things, they headed back to Bonnie's…with a quick stop by the store to pick up some much needed 'pick-me-up' groceries as Bonnie liked to call them; namely, Moose traks ice cream, chips n dip, Pepsi and Sprite…all of the must-haves when a girl was feeling down. They carried the groceries inside and then Bonnie sent Caroline to the living room to pick out a chic flick while she prepared the snacks.

Soon, the two women were settled on the couch…or sprawled out on the floor in Bonnie's case…as the flat screen came to life. "I don't know why but He's Just Not That Into You, has always been my regular go-to when I'm feeling shitty."

Bonnie smiled and nodded her agreement. "Mine too, Care…this one, Maid of Honor and The Back-up Plan are my three stand-bys."

Caroline beamed with delight. "Ah! I see my film sense has rubbed off on you, good!"

Bonnie smiled lovingly at her friend. Despite the fact that it had always been the three of them-Bonnie, Caroline and Elena-Bonnie had felt much closer to the dramatic, perky blonde. Caroline had been the only one-aside from an occasional call from Stephan-to keep in touch with her after she left for New York. In the two years that Bonnie had lived there, Caroline had also come to visit her twice-once for Thanksgiving and then she turned around and flew right back to spend Christmas and New Years with her. They'd become so close over those times and it was then that Bonnie realized that no matter how haywire, over-the-top dramatic and fussy Caroline could be, she was by far…fiercely loyal and even brutally honest. But for Bonnie, that's exactly what she needed. She needed someone who would always stand by her, no matter how far away she moved from home and also someone who would always be honest with her-even if the truth hurt. That's just how Bonnie Bennett had always been and she could always depend on Caroline Forbes to be exactly that…and no less. Her warm, wondering thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud knock at the door. "Who in the hell is coming here at this hour?" She muttered as she pushed herself up off the floor.

"Crossing my fingers that it's some steamy exotic male dancers." Caroline echoed dreamily from the living room.

Bonnie laughed, shaking her head as she swung the door open. Her lips parted in surprise when she saw him. "Damon." She said with a hint of hesitancy and surprise in her voice.

"Well that's a fine way to greet me, Judgey." Damon gave her a fake pout as his ice blue eyes twinkled.

Bonnie crossed her arms over her chest-her eyes narrowed at him; she wasn't amused. "What are you doing here, Damon? This is not a good time."

Damon huffed doubtfully, waving his hand in a 'yeah-right' fashion. "Pshh, like you have anything better to do on a Monday night." He brushed passed her casually and she mentally cursed herself for inviting him in that time over two years ago when she'd needed help practicing a particular spell.

"Actually, I _am…_" She sputtered, turning on her heel and following him into the kitchen. "I'm entertaining company, Damon so if you could just please…see yourself to the door…" She placed both hands to the side of his shoulders, steering him hurriedly towards the door. She almost had him out when a perky voice sounded from the living room.

"Who is it, Bon? Whose at the door?"

"It's just Damon Care but don't worry, he was just leaving." She punctuated the last two words with a narrowing glare at Damon.

"NO! wait, don't leave yet!" Caroline called. "Bring him in here, Bonnie."

Bonnie let out a defeated groan as Damon's signature triumphant smirk flitted across his features.

_Even when he's arrogant, he looks so hot! Damn him._

She let go of his shoulders and stalked off to the living room.

Damon smiled cheekily as he followed behind her.

When Caroline spotted Damon, she was up from the couch and across the room in a flash, literally slamming into him, causing him to stumble back a few steps.

"Whoa! Ok um…" Damon trailed off as Caroline's arms wound around his neck tightly and her little voice cracked into a small sob. He took a bewildered and questioning look towards Bonnie whose eyes glistened over sadly and shook her head. "Caroline." Damon's voice was deep and solid but there was a slight hint of gentleness behind it that was so uncharacteristic of him.

_Bonnie obviously had a lot to get used to…especially when it came to Damon._

"Care…why are you crying?" Damon tried again; this time wrapping his arms gingerly around the blonde's waist.

"Bonnie…I can't tell him." Caroline's voice muffled in Damon's shoulder and Bonnie sighed heavily; she knew Caroline meant she wanted _her _to tell Damon…as strange as it was, it made perfect sense to Bonnie for them to tell Damon. Damon knowing somehow made everything seem a little less overwhelming. "Caroline's in love with Stephan." She said simply but her voice was laced with sadness.

For the first time in his 149 years, Damon Salvatore had to pick his jaw up off the floor. But he hid his surprise well…only his eyes seemed to glaze over slightly with the shock of it all. "Come again?" He uttered blankly, but of course he'd heard it the first time…he just wasn't entirely sure that what he'd heard hadn't been just his imagination.

Bonnie only nodded sadly, blowing air through her lips. "Yeah. Tell me about it."

Damon stood back slightly from Caroline so he could look in her eyes. Her long bangs fell invasively into her eyes and he took a brief moment to brush them away from her face. "You're shitting me." It was more of a statement then a question.

She only looked back at him. As much as Caroline wanted to, she knew that denying the truth would be worse because she'd be denying her heart.

"You're serious, aren't you." He already knew the answer but he still couldn't wrap his mind around this whole twisted mess that she'd suddenly gotten herself into.

"Care you have got to be the most…_senseless, stupid, careless and irrational _girl I've ever met!" He scolded her but before Bonnie could chastise him for his apparent lack of consideration, Caroline looked at him and her face broke out into a hopeless but resolute smile. "How could you have been so…." He trailed off as her honest blue eyes bored into his and he only sighed heavily, shaking his head. "…Then why the hell am I standing here thinking that this is somehow a good thing?" His face held a 'I must be out of my mind' expression as he placed a some-what careless kiss on Caroline's forehead. "You're nuts, Care…but…however this is gonna turn out…you've got me and the good ol' witchy to help you through it…I can't believe I'm saying this…" He dragged a hand down the front of his face. "Dear god, I must need a gallon of bourbon if I'm seriously considering throwing in my support with you two crazy cats-oh no wait, I've already thrown myself in with you lot." He shook his head as his eyebrows knitted together and his eyes squinted. Caroline smiled gratefully as she stepped back from him and he moved over to the large chair, collapsing into it in an act of surrender. "You owe me…fucking _huge_, Care." He pointed his finger at her, a strong expression on his features.

"It's not like she planned for this to happen, Damon." Bonnie shot back at him, trying to defend her friend's present position. _Yeah, who the fuck wakes up one day and says 'what to do today…fall in love with my best friend's boyfriend and make my life a miserable living hell...yeah, great plan-definitely has potential. insert heavy sarcasm here_

"Yeah, I kind of figured that when she collided with my chest and started leaking, Bennett." Damon shot back sarcastically, his eyes narrowing at Bonnie.

She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes… _why does he always have to be so…by fucking polar-sensitive one moment and then following it up with a sarcastic-ass comment! _

Bonnie settled onto the couch, next to Caroline whose tears had finally subsided. "So…what now?"

"What do you mean 'what now'? there is no 'what now' there's nothing, Bennett. Caroline came up with the greatest of _worst_ ideas; falling in love with Stephan…that doesn't have anywhere to go except backwards. You think he's just gonna wake up and be like 'wow, Elena is a bitch to me…Caroline Forbes is my soul mate, it all makes sense now, O-M-G!'?" Damon's voice was pitched up an octave, imitating someone who was slightly mentally retarded…the sarcasm always evident behind it.

"Ok, ok cut the insensitive bullshit, Damon!" Bonnie's voice was tense, she was obviously on the edge of exploding. "I know…and Caroline knows…that it's not even out in left field…its out of the park ok? We get that! But right now, we have to figure out how the hell we're gonna keep this from Stephan and Elena…_that's _the deal here."

He watched Bonnie as she stood to her feet and paced, her one hand on her hip as her other combed furiously through her long wavy locks. For a fleeting moment, he noticed how amazingly beautiful she looked, despite the harsh worry lines in her forehead and the look of dread in her eyes….

_Bonnie Bennett would always have a surreal beauty to her that only Damon Salvatore could notice…because he actually took the time, despite himself. _

"Alright, right now, the important thing is to go on like always…normal. Just don't feel like you all of a sudden have to distance yourself, Care or Stephan will definitely sense that something's going on. I'm sorry but I'm not too worried about Elena…she's so _consumed _right now, you could probably make-out with Stephan with her in the same room and she wouldn't even notice."

Damon couldn't help but smirk at her snarky comment…she sounded more like him than she would probably ever admit and a part of him felt somewhat proud of her for it.

"Ok so…I just pretty much go on like I always have…as far as being there for Stephan?"

"Hell yeah, maybe it'll all pan out; my brother will magically see what a bitch he's dating and will actually see something in front of him that's worth a fight." Damon's words were stated passively as he absently studied his nails…but both Bonnie and Caroline caught the sincerity behind them…Damon Salvatore may not readily or directly give out compliments…but he was never one to keep silent when it came to stating the obvious…even if it turned out to be a means of modest praise. Caroline smiled bashfully, a look of thanks shone in her crystal blue eyes.

"We'll get through this. We just have to keep it cool for now and…not make any sudden changes…we have enough to worry about with trying to figure out what happened to Jeremy and what he was into that got him killed…let's just focus on that for now-everything else will just have to…work itself out."

Caroline nodded her agreement though her heart felt heavy with the burden she carried.

Damon's face screwed into frustration and he heaved an exasperated sigh as he stood to his feet and slung both arms over the girls' shoulders, awkwardly hugging them to either side of him. "We're headed for disaster…but as I always like to say in times like these…sometimes you gotta play the bitch in order to beat the bitch…I'm in. Bring it on." Damon finished his statement firmly and both girls couldn't hold back knowing grins. Bonnie shook her head. _Leave it to Damon Salvatore to have a sexist innuendo as a motto. _


	3. Dreams and Waffles

_**Hey all! Ok so a few things about this chapter: First of all, I've changed things around a bit, instead of Stephan rescuing Damon from Klaus via promising the eight stakes in exchange for his brother's life, Bonnie is the one who eventually resolves to save Damon after she discovers Klaus is holding and torturing him in order to get to taunt to her and get to Elena. A few other things, as far as the layout of Klaus' mansion, when Bonnie performed the spell to break Esther's link, etc might also be slightly different but that's because I felt that it works the best with my story as far as showing you guys the history between Bonnie and Damon (Aka Bamon) that took place before he left. Hope you enjoy! Expect an update soon because the words are literally just flowing like crazy in my head! xoxo**_

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Bonnie woke up from the most vivid dream…a dream that terrified her because it had been true. In the past…

_**Flashback…**_

_Klaus smiled when he saw Bonnie standing in his doorway. "Bonnie! So good of you to come." He ushered her in. _

_ Bonnie wrapped her arms around herself…she didn't know what she was even doing here. This was Klaus and he was dangerous. Not to be trusted. And yet, here she was. _

"_Wait here." He disappeared and then re-entered with a canister of Brandy. _

_ "I'm not here to share a drink with you, Klaus…I came to talk to you. You need to leave Elena alone. Stop coming after her when its obvious that I'm the one you want."_

_Klaus smiled sadly but shook his head. "You know I can't do that, Bonnie…hurting your friends is the best and easiest way to get to you. Without that, I know you wouldn't be here tonight." He spread his hands out to his sides and his smile deepened but his eyes were glimmering with the fire of the Devil himself. "My plan is already working. But now, you promised to break Esther's linking spell? _

_ "Yes…but I'm not exactly certain if…if I have the right spell to do it. But I will try…but I need all of my concentration in order to generate enough power to do so. So unless you want me walking out of here and leaving you with your own mess, then stand back." _

_Klaus did so as Bonnie closed her eyes and began to chant slowly and softly, her voice volume growing with each incantation she uttered. She hated the manipulation but Klaus had threatened her mother…and Kol was watching Jeremy so what choice did she have? Either way, this bastard wasn't going to win; they had all been working on a plan and even now, she knew that Stephan was hunting for Finn…with Finn gone, Klaus would definitely be at a disadvantage and Sage would be out of control…killing her mate would only render her useless to Klaus because her rage would only spiral out of control. _

_Just then, Bonnie felt a certain life-force dissipating from the world. Suddenly, a flash of a vision shows her Matt and Elena driving a stake through Finn's heart. It was over, he was gone and they'd completed the first phase of their plan. Just then, her vision was interrupted by a loud, agonizing scream. _

_ "What was that?" Bonnie whipped around to fully face Klaus…her eyes drifted beyond him to the doorway. _

"_I do believe…there is someone you need to see, Bonnie. Someone…who needs your help."_

_ Just then, a tall, slender blonde entered the room, wiping her hands with a damp cloth. She caught Bonnie's eye and gave her the most menacing grin, her eyes shining with pure hate. "Rebekah." Bonnie whispered._

"_Come, Bonnie." Klaus held out his hand towards her, beckoning her. _

_ She slowly and hesitantly advanced forward…her blood chilled as she neared the doorway that lead into the other room…something was wrong. Once she'd neared the entrance, Her blood turned icy cold and her stomach lurched. _

_Damon…his hands chained to the ceiling by his wrists which were confined in vicious traps that embedded into his wrists, causing them to bleed. His black shirt had been ripped open and his chest and stomach were riddled with stab wounds, deep cuts that bled profusely. Klaus must have been attempting to bleed him free of his protective vervain…Of course, Klaus would always be one step ahead of them. _

"_Help him, Bonnie." Klaus whispered close to her ear, his voice taunting her. _

_ Bonnie's heart ached as she viewed Damon's tall muscular form, now bent over in agony and pain…blood and sweat pouring off of him. Her nose caught the strong scent of Vervain mixed with the blood and sweat and she knew that much longer in this state, Damon wouldn't last. _

"_Help the man who turned your mother into a vampire." Klaus' taunt broke into her thoughts and for a moment, her heart seemed to harden against Damon's suffering…a part of her hated him for what he had done to her mother…but then there was also another part of her that knew…Damon never saw the repercussions of his choices; he only acted in the moment in a way that seemed for the best to himself. He never saw the pain that occurred in the wake of the aftermath. Somehow she knew that if he could see the affects of his choices, he would think more deeply and thoroughly before he acted. Suddenly, she saw the Damon that had been human. Who had had principles. Morals. Values. Feelings. Thoughts and dreams for the future…a future with Katharine that had been so heartlessly and viciously ripped away from him in the wake of his younger brother who-no matter what decade they lived in-always seemed to come out on top. Stephan never meant to tear away his brother's dreams and future; he loved Damon. Bonnie knew this but whether Stephan meant to or not, the fact still remained that Damon was forced to live in the shadow of his fame. Another pained groan from Damon brought Bonnie once again out of her thoughts. She knew she had to save him. If not for Stephan's sake or even Elena's…for Damon's own sake…if there was a chance she could bring him to the light and his own salvation, she would take that chance, regardless of what he'd done to her mother or any of her other ancestors. Besides, leaving him to die would only mean she was no better than him or Klaus for that matter. Bonnie Bennett wouldn't lower herself to that level. In the flash of a moment, she had a plan. "Just get me out of here." She recoiled and Klaus turned to lead her out of the room. 'look at me, Damon…look at me.' She chanted in her head…and oddly enough, Damon must have heard her because slowly and agonizingly, he raised his head just enough that his blue eyes connected with her Emerald ones. He couldn't believe what he read there…but it was displayed plain as day in the depths of Bonnie's eyes. 'I'm going to get you out of here…Just hold on a little bit longer, Damon…hold on!' and then just like that, she was gone. _

_# # # #_

_ After Bonnie hung up with Elena, she slumped against her car and the tears shook her small frame. All the anger, the hurt and malice because of her mother and what Damon had done to her, poured out of her and evaporated with her tears. The part of her that held hatred for Damon, held on stronger and for nearly half an hour, she sat there in Klaus driveway, fighting with herself until finally with an impassioned scream of agony, she released her hatred and every last bit of it slipped away. Standing to her feet, she suddenly felt light but the heaviness in her heart for Damon's suffering was still present. She waited another half hour until she was certain that both Klaus and Rebekah had left. She knew they'd felt the loss of Finn and most likely, determined to hunt down whoever did this. She knew that her friends were in danger so she sent a quick text to Stephan to warn him. 'Klaus and Rebekah know about Finn…watch your back. Don't worry about Damon…he's safe.' she hit 'send' and then made a mad dash for the back of Klaus' mansion. On the outside chance that one of them had stayed behind, there was no way she was just gonna waltz in through the front door. She reached the back and spotted the lower-level 'secret' entrance that she'd always suspected was there. Using a simple breaching spell, she passed through the entrance and bent her body low over the ground as she broke into a run. She moved along the dark passage way and once she reached the cellar, another breaching spell got her to the main stairway that lead to the kitchen. She pushed open the trap door, her eyes surveyed her surroundings for a moment and she sensed Rebekah's aura nearby. She cursed under her breath-she should've known that rescuing Damon wouldn't be that easy. She had to act though and fast…at this rate, Klaus could be back at any time and he was definitely the more formidable of the two…she could take Rebekah but not Klaus at the same time…it was now or never. She slowed her breathing and waited. She felt Rebekah's aura getting closer and she knew she only had one shot at a paralyzing spell. Catching Rebekah completely off guard was the key in making this rescue a success. Just then, she spotted a dark shadow passing by the entrance and taking a deep breath, she sprung noiselessly from her hiding place and held her hand out in front of her, uttering the Latin incantation in one breath. The last part had to be punctuated with just the right raised intonations and a thrust of her body forward. It worked and Rebekah was rendered frozen in paralysis, her eyes wide with surprise. Bonnie stood over her body for a moment and grinned triumphantly at the success of her spell. "Bitch." She cursed then ran through the dining room, out into the foyer, through the main drawing room and finally through the door that lead into the room where Damon was chained. She skidded to a halt when she saw Damon's limp body hanging from the ceiling…his arms were still outstretched and imprisoned in the torturous traps and chains. He looked completely lifeless and for the first time in her life, Bonnie Bennett's breath caught in her throat and tears sprang to her eyes at the thought that she might be too late to save the older Salvatore who, up until now had been her worst enemy. She moved to his side and with a disengaging spell, she broke the locks on his binding vestments only to gasp as his body slumped forward, collapsing onto her shoulders. The adrenaline instantly kicked in and she hoisted one of his arms over her shoulders then wrapped her arm around his waist, supporting him with every ounce of strength she had. They didn't have much time; her paralyzing spell on Rebekah would only last an hour at the most and that wasn't much, considering they had to make their way back down to the secret passageway and then out to her car…and she was carrying all of her weight and his. Suddenly, a slight groan sounded from deep in Damon's throat and a few tears escaped her eyes in pure relief that he was at least still alive. "Damon. Com'on wake up I'm gonna get you out of here but you have to help me!" She grunted under his weight as his head slowly swung up and to the side to face her. _

"_J…Judgey."_

_ "Yeah Damon, I'm here but Com'on we gotta get out of here. Now." She practically had to drag Damon out of the room and passed the still-unconscious Rebekah. _

"_W-what happened to Blondie?" _

_ "I paralyzed her…but the spell only lasts about an hour so we gotta hustle."_

_That seemed to be the motivation that Damon needed and he suddenly heaved as he dragged his feet under him, forcing himself to hobble-at-best."_

_ Bonnie smiled despite herself…the gravity of the situation always seemed to set in for Damon at the utterance of "we're in deep shit here; we gotta move or die." he wasn't like Stephan, jumping at every little noise of a creaking board or a branch slamming against a window at the onset of a storm; Damon Salvatore always kept his head level until it was absolutely imperative that they were backed up against a wall…and even then, he never lost his cool; 'you lose your cool, you get yourself killed'…Bonnie would always remember when he'd told her those words on the day that Klaus had nearly killed Elena at the 80s dance. _

"_B-Bonnie…how did you…what were you doing here?" _

_ "It's a long story. Basically, Klaus black-mailed me into breaking Esther's linking spell and then he taunted me with you. He must have been pretty positive that I would just let you die…otherwise why would he have disclosed his involvement…I bet he was banking on me not breathing a word to anyone…he's definitely more threatened by you then he lets on…and he's underestimated me."_

"_Honestly Judgey I…I didn't expect you would risk your neck to save me either…no offense but that's just…kind of what…I expected…I…" Damon's sentence was cut off when the wound on his abdomen ripped open even more and he again fully collapsed against Bonnie. _

_ But he caught her off-guard and both Vampire and Witch collapsed to the floor, just in front of the still smoldering fireplace in the foyer. "Damon! Please don't give up on me now, we're nearly there!"_

"_I can't, Bonnie…" He then laughed bitterly at himself, coughing at the same time. "Imagine that, me admitting that I…can't. well you've gotten your wish, Judgey, you finally get to see me…weak and defeated…witnessing the cause of…my inevitable demise." He heaved as he bowed his head as if preparing to let go. "Bonnie just leave me…save yourself…go…"_

_ Bonnie suddenly felt frantic. It was no longer about saving Damon out of a hope that he would find his salvation…now it was for her own sake. She didn't know how or why but she suddenly didn't want Damon Salvatore to die…and more than that, she didn't…couldn't bear the thought of living without him. "No…no, no, Damon…Damon, look at me, Dammit, Damon! Don't you fucking leave me, Damon don't you dare fucking leave me…who's gonna be there to drive me crazy every day, huh? Who's gonna make those inappropriate and insulting innuendos at my expense? You know there's no one else that challenges me like you do. Don't you dare leave me when you're the only one that treats me like a human…with limits. The only one who challenges me to push those limits only when you can see that I can do better…Damon don't you leave me…don't fucking leave me when I need you!" Her last words were uttered in a strangled whisper as tears poured down her caramel cheeks, her hands gripping either side of his face, forcing him to look at her. _

_His eyes snapped open as her last words 'I need you' fell on his ears and for a long moment, their eyes locked and for the first time, it wasn't Elena's face flashing through his mind, giving him a reason to live and get himself out of this…it was Bonnie's emerald green eyes, shining with desperation and her beautiful tear-stained cheeks that suddenly triggered a chord in his heart. He knew then he had to keep going…keep on living because suddenly, there was a reason. Suddenly there was someone who needed…him. Not Stephan, not Matt or Tyler or Jeremy…him. _

_ "Damon…" She whispered his name and it sounded so sweet, and earnest rolling off her tongue. She pushed her wrist to his lips and her emerald eyes compelled him. "Damon, Drink my blood…I know it's stronger and better than any other blood. Please just do it before I change my mind!"_

_Damon Salvatore looked at her one last time before he pushed her hand away, shaking his head. 'I must be out of my mind if I'm refusing a witch's blood of all things!' he thought to himself but then, his eyes caught sight of Bonnie, grabbing a vase from a nearby end table and shattering it to pieces on the floor. Before he could stop her, she took hold of a jagged piece and slashed her wrist just deep enough to draw blood. Damon's eyes grew black as the veins around them protruded; the scent of Bonnie's blood filled his nostrils. She pushed her wrist to his lips again and this time, his fangs pierced the surface of her skin as he drank deeply. _

_ "Quickly, Damon…no, you need more than that, please just…no don't fucking argue with me!" She pushed her wrist to his mouth more forcefully and soon, Damon gave up the fight. Minutes ticked by and soon, she noticed the deep gashes in his own wrists began to heal. She sighed with relief as she felt his grip slowly lessen and his fangs gradually withdrew from her skin. A chill ran up her spine at the sensation…it didn't register as pain but more of a…euphoric feeling that suddenly radiated through her body. _

_Suddenly, Damon raised his own wrist to his mouth as he drew in his own blood. _

_ Bonnie watched him blankly and only realized too late that he meant for her to drink some of his blood in order to replenish her own strength. She pushed his hand away, exclaiming. "No, there's no way, Damon, I can't…" She was cut off when Damon suddenly snaked his hand behind her neck, pulling her face to his as his lips crashed against hers. She inhaled sharply as the sensation of his lips caressed hers. Then the taste of his blood trickled onto her tongue as he parted her lips with his tongue, slipping it into her mouth. She was shocked as the taste of his blood fell onto her tongue as a strong spicy/sweet taste…almost like a sweet spice. She'd always imagined that blood in general would taste bitter…salty even as she recalled the numerous times she'd sucked on her own cuts she'd obtained throughout her life, in an attempt to stop the blood flow. Yet here she was, tasting Damon's blood…in fact, drinking it and the only taste she detected was…a spicy sweetness…almost the same spicy scent of Damon himself; his clothes were drenched with it…even his skin held the same scent. Just then, the taste of the blood lessened as the last droplets of it trickled down her throat. It took her a few moments to realize that she'd gulped down every last drop Damon had given her and yet, he hadn't pulled away. In fact, his tongue lingered against hers as she felt his lips push persistently against hers. _

_Damon Salvatore was kissing her. And she wasn't pulling back. Suddenly, she moaned as her fingers gripped his neck, pulling him in closer. She couldn't understand what had just come over her but for the first time in her life, she felt…right. Rationality and reason be damned! For once, she would follow her heart…and her heart only beat more furiously in sync with Damon's, her body aching as he pulled her in closer. _

_Suddenly, Damon broke the kiss and stared intently into her eyes. "Judgey, we have to go…now." _

_ She nodded when she felt Rebekah's aura slowly coming awake. Hoisting themselves, and each other off the floor, Bonnie replaced Damon's arm around her shoulders and her own arm around his waist and the two of them finally reached the trap door that lead to the cellar. Damon lowered Bonnie down first and then followed, the two of them disappeared as the cellar door fell closed behind them. _

_**End of flashback…**_

# # # #

Bonnie's petite feet padded across the wooden floor of her bedroom and into her bathroom. Her long wavy locks were a mess as she pushed them away from her face, leaning on the porcelain sink with her palms for support. Her long-sleeved pink shirt with the word PINK blazed across the front in bold gold lettering, hung off one shoulder as she adjusted the drawstring of her fitted matching grey sleep shorts with the same monogram splayed across the back. She brushed her teeth, slowly and unceremoniously then turning off the water and replacing the toothbrush, she exited the bathroom and wondered out into the hall and down the stairs. Just then, she heard soft noise downstairs and a deep voice that seemed to be having a one-sided conversation. She reached the bottom of the stairs and spotted Damon in her kitchen, making waffles with one hand and holding a phone to his ear with the other. Her mind flashed back momentarily to her dream the night before and her heart lurched longingly as she watched the back of him; his broad muscular shoulders shrugged up and down and his back muscles flexed as he moved about the kitchen, pouring waffle mixture into the waffle iron, mixing more batter into the small silver mixing bowl _and _washing dishes in between. She marveled at his amazing ability to multi-task and wondered for a moment if he'd ever been a chef in one of his past lives.

"Yes, Stephan I know! Trust me, I've got it taken care of…no. No I'm not trying to push it! I'm just trying…look I haven't even been back for a week and you're already grilling me about what I should and should not do or what kind of motives I may or may not have. Obviously two years away isn't enough to show you that I'm trying to change things…No. No that doesn't mean that I'm going to bend over and kiss ass, you should know that!" Damon's serious expression changed and the most arrogant of smirks replaced the serious lines of his mouth. "Hey, I can't help that I'll always be forever charming, charismatic and sexy…it's just a part of my fabulous personality."

Bonnie couldn't hold back a smile, shaking her head. Damon Salvatore would forever be original, no matter what subtle changes may have come into his life or startling revelations he may have had, he'd always be essentially the same.

_And she genuinely loved that about him._

"Alright look, Judge Judy, I'd love to debate this with you but I have to go, I'm cooking Judgey breakfast…so I…what? No you absolutely _cannot come over_! You know what, no, I'm done with you prying…Ok thanks, _Mom _I'll be home for dinner, K? Bye!" Damon's voice had pitched up an octave, mocking his brother with a sarcastic grin plastered to his face. He hit the 'end call' button and scowled, rolling eyes, heaving an exasperated sigh.

"You guys are so adorable…just like an old married couple." Bonnie's voice sounded from the kitchen doorway, startling Damon who jumped slightly, whipping around and holding out the spatula-dripping with waffle batter-in front of him, defensively. Bonnie eyed it and then gave him an 'oh please' expression. "What are you gonna do with that…mix me to death?" Just then, a hint of a smile crept onto her lips and her eyes sparkled.

Damon heaved a sigh of relief. "Damn it, Judgey don't you know you can't just sneak up behind a vampire like that? You're likely to get your throat sliced!" His eyes darkened with anger but Bonnie saw a hint of a smile behind them.

"Oh please." She waved dismissively as she padded further into the kitchen, sniffing the air as the warm, sweet smell of waffle permeated the kitchen.

Presently, Damon noticed her shirt as it hung off her shoulder and her slender legs swaying as her petite feet padded across the tiled floor towards him. Bonnie looked…incredibly adorable and ravenously sexy, just waking up; he couldn't believe he'd missed it all those mornings that he'd seen her, four years ago. He'd known her two years and then the last two years, he'd missed out on so much that a part of him regretted leaving without even a word or even a way of keeping in touch with her. His eyebrows furrowed at the thought but the scent of Cinnamon and Vanilla pulled him out of his brooding thoughts.

Bonnie was beside him, leaning over the covered plate that held the cooked waffles. She closed her eyes, inhaling the warm scent. "Mmm…it smells amazing, Damon." her eyes flitted open and she gave him one of her sweet shy smiles that he'd seen her reserve only for Jeremy…but then again, that three years ago when the little Gilbert had followed her everywhere, like a little lost puppy. But now he was dead…and they had to find out why. Just then, Bonnie turned to walk to the table when suddenly, a wave of dizziness swept over her and she slumped to the side, the palm of her hand pressed to her forehead.

"Judgey…!" Damon's reflexes were lightening fast; he caught Bonnie in his arms, pulling her full weight against him.

"Ohooh! Ok…that was…weird."

Her speech was just the slightest bit slurred and Damon's heart rate picked up, the lines of worry appeared around his dark blue eyes as he watched her closely. Bonnie moved to lift her head up but Damon held it gently but firmly against his chest. "No Bonnie, don't move just rest a second…I can't have you getting vertigo and puking up all over my shirt."

"Ha…very funny." Bonnie mumbled against him as her eyes drifted closed once again.

They stood there for a full five minutes; Damon's arms held Bonnie firmly against him and his left hand began rubbing soothing circles on her back.

She sighed contentedly at the contact…she couldn't remember the last time she'd been in Damon's arms…_oh wait, that was just a few days ago…when he came home. _She thought suddenly…but it felt like forever and that's when she realized she was sounding more and more like Elena and Caroline…_sappy. _She laughed softly at the irony.

"What's funny?" Damon rose an eyebrow as he glanced down at her, like she was loosing her mind.

"I was just thinking…" She started, sleeply. "…how long it had been since…since we were like _this. _And then I realized…it was just a few days ago that I was in your arms, _exactly _like this…and it just hit me 'wow, I'm turning into a sap just like Elena…'"

Damon couldn't help but laugh warmly as Bonnie giggled slightly sardonically to herself. "Well it's about time you realized they're right; I'm pretty awesome. And charming. And dashing. And sexy and…" He was cut off by a slight back-handed slap to his chest, courtesy of Bonnie.

"Ok you're just an ass." She was smiling though and Damon heard it in her voice.

"Your failure at insulting, surprises me, Bennett!" he gasped mockingly as Bonnie's head finally turned upwards and her emerald green eyes met his.

"Well maybe I wasn't actually trying to insult you." Her eyes sparkled and for the first time, Damon Salvatore was positive, that was a flirtatious smile that spread across her lips. "Bonnie Bennett, are you…flirting with me?" He raised an eyebrow at her, his blue eyes dancing with arrogant playfulness.

"You know, I had a dream last night about you?" She uttered frankly.

_That definitely took Damon off-guard. The little witchy was now having dreams about him? Did hell suddenly freeze over?!_

"It was about that night…when Klaus black-mailed me into breaking Esther's spell and then he taunted me with you…you remember?"

"How could I forget…that was the night when I fell under a sudden delusion and admitted that I was weak." He shook his head, vigorously. "Of course that was all just a part of my plan…to get out of there." He flashed her his snarky grin and she just rolled her eyes at his dismissive attempt towards emotion.

"Well…I dreamt about it last night…and it was so vivid…like it had happened just yesterday…although there were parts of it that I'd…kind of…_forgotten. _I guess there were some…blank spaces in that particular memory." Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson as she brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, averting her gaze away from Damon's.

_Rarely did Bonnie Bennett ever blush and even more rare was anyone privy to witness it…Damon loved how always seemed to be the one that she would unveil herself to. _

"So…you forgot about that, huh?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her but she only nodded, biting her lip and turning her face away. Damon realized that she wasn't just making friendly flirty conversation…she had seriously been impacted by this dream and she was struggling with the affects of it. His face grew serious and he suddenly cupped her cheek and gently turned her face back to look at him. "Bonnie…I know that that was…the most…difficult thing you've ever had to do in your life…you could've just let me die and…well to be honest…I still wonder why you didn't. what changed you?"

She smiled and cocked her head to the side. "Well don't you know, Damon? You did say it was all a part of your _plan."_ She grinned playfully at him.

"No, Bon I'm being serious…aand I highly recommend that you take advantage of it because I don't go serious very often…it's like I'm suddenly brooding like my brother and it just gives me a headache."

She snorted softly but bit her lip…should she tell Damon what she was feeling? What that dream…and that entire experience, had done to her…how it had changed her?" she really wasn't sure. "I just…I don't know I realized that you were…that you _had been _just as human as the rest of us and…that even though most times, you leave a damage path in the wake of your impulsive decisions that…that that's the only way you learned how to survive…living under the shadow of Stephan for most of your life…what happened with you two and Katharine it…it just kind of suddenly made sense to me and I realized that…that if I had been you and lived your life…that I probably would've done the same." She watched him carefully, monitoring his reaction.

Damon was silent…he liked to think he was just contemplating a response but truth be told, Bonnie had rendered him speechless, he didn't know what to say. _Well, When all else fails, go to your consistent stand-by. _Damon thought to himself and following suit with his thoughts, his signature smirk appeared as he leaned in to Bonnie…soon, there foreheads were almost touching. "Well there, you see? We're not so different after all, Bennett."

Bonnie only shook her head but she couldn't completely conceal the smile pushing at the surface of her mouth. _Neither of them knew it yet, But saving Damon Salvatore would be the one and only thing that could save Bonnie Bennett._


	4. I Wanted You To Feel Human

Caroline Forbes was about a half hour away from clocking out. She'd taken up a late-night shift at the Casino bar which was not usually like her, if she had to work the next morning but since she'd admitted to herself-and to Bonnie and Damon-the feelings she had for Stephan, she found herself unable to focus on any of the things that used to interest her. Music and going to the cinema had lost their flavor of excitement and Bonnie swore she almost passed out when she'd offered to take the Blonde shopping to the newest Boutique in town, and Caroline had simply said she 'didn't feel like a shopping trip.' Stephan had certainly wound her friend up tight and Bonnie began to worry about the Blonde Vampire's sanity. So, her and Damon had concocted a plan for this evening as a small means of perhaps easing some of Caroline's tension…and hopefully opening up Stephan's eyes a bit. Bonnie made the phone call: "Hey Care, Babe, I'm really sorry but something's come up; I can't pick you up tonight…yeah girl, I'm so sorry but hey listen, Stephan got home early so he's offered to come pick you up when your shift is over!"

The Blonde deadpanned on the other end of the line…she nibbled on her purple polished finger nail before she ventured an answer. "Bon…I don't know if I can…"

"Honey, just be normal, be yourself remember? You're Stephan's best friend. You can do this. And besides I think you need some time with him to really help you put some of those feelings into perspective. Don't be so eager to just force them down without addressing them ok? Because ignoring them is only going to make them stronger and harder to deal with. Whereas if you acknowledge that they're there, it makes it easier to compartmentalize them…you get what I'm saying?"

Caroline nodded but nervously gnawed on her bottom lip. "I just hope you're right, Bon."

"Trust me on this, Care…plus, I ran it by Damon and he agrees with me."

"Hell no I don't! This isn't about 'compartmentalizing' Caroline's feelings" Damon chimed in rather forcefully as he jumped up from his reclining position on the couch and ventured to the wall opposite Bonnie, where he leaned his shoulder against it and folded his arms over his strong chest. His brows knitted together and his lips pressed together in a firm, determined line. "This is about forcing them together and then hopefully, Caroline's feelings for him will just spill over and then he can finally stop lying to himself, thinking that he's dating a perfect angel." Damon punctuated his statement with an exaggerated widening of his glacial blue eyes and air quotations as an exasperated sigh pressed through his lips. Then suddenly, as if an idea suddenly dawned on him, Damon snapped his fingers, and began to pace the room. "Aha! You know what we _really need? _All we need is a good dose of aphrodisiac aroma, strategically seeping through the vents and A/C system in Stephan's car. That way, the chains of reckless passion can be released and not only will Caroline's feelings for him be known without her having to verbally say it, they can finally give in to their primal instincts-which by the way should _never _be restrained in my opinion, its just unhealthy-and consummate the long-delayed-but-equally-inevitable-and-indisputable fact that A, Caroline and Stephan are better for each other, and B, Elena can't hide from the ugly truth that she is no longer privilege to walking all over everyone just because she wants everyone else's cake and ice cream, in addition to hers."

"Damon, Please!" Bonnie hissed, covering the mouth speaker of her cell phone so Caroline wouldn't here.

Damon spread out his hands innocently and his glacial blue eyes widened again just slightly. "What?"

Bonnie only shook her head at him then returned her attention to the phone call. "Look, Stephan should be there in five…just relax, it's gonna be ok. I'll see you tomorrow, Babe." She hit the 'end call' button as she swiveled around to face Damon.

The Vampire was presently holding a glass of 1860 bourbon in his right hand, while the other was shoved into his front jean pocket and he casually rocked back and forth on his heels. "You know I'm right, Witchy…all this sneaking-around-make-him-chase-you-by-acting-normal-and-mysterious shit isn't gonna get us anywhere. You can be as subtle as a gun…which Caroline is…and Stephan still won't get it. Hell, part of me thinks it would take him half-way through screwing her, to realize that he was actually having sex with _Caroline _and _not Elena._"

"For God's sake Damon, now is not the time to chunk this all down to sex. This is more serious then you needing to grab some ass and bang-bang just to get rid of your cock-blocking!" She huffed as she brushed past him. "This is about Caroline and Stephan needing to realize that they are both in an unhealthy place. Whether they get together or not isn't the issue…and honestly, I don't think that is at all the best answer to their problems right now. Care needs to face the fact that she has feelings for him so that she can _properly _analyze them and put them in the right place; not fly off the edge and throw herself at Stephan in a hormonal rage! And Stephan needs to realize that he deserves better, that he can't keep taking responsibility for every 'catastrophe' that Elena finds herself in and that he needs to start thinking for himself. And even if he does decide that the best decision for him is to break it off with Elena, that has to be _his _decision, not ours and not because we're forcing someone else on him…even if that someone else is as amazing as Caroline. He'll need time to heal as well if he does break it off because…they've been together for almost four years and…that will take some time to heal from."

Damon waved a dismissive hand at her, rolling his eyes as he threw back the last bit of his bourbon, slamming the glass onto the counter. "So when did you become all-knowing and wise when it come to complicated relationships…I don't remember you being this…_objective _when it came to you and Jeremy…all he had to do was give you a half-ass kiss and suddenly you were determined to do anything and everything for him."

Bonnie stiffened when she caught the harsh edge in Damon's voice. The reminder of her haphazard relationship with the young Gilbert boy, somewhat stung because not only had it lasted for a mere few months, but it ended in Jeremy cheating on her and running after someone else…and that someone else hadn't even been human but the ghost of his ex girlfriend. Bonnie had felt hopeless and humiliated to have been dumped so suddenly for a mere ghost…and what did that say of her chances to compete with an actual living, breathing human being? Bonnie fought with this question for countless months after the incident and even though she hadn't seen Jeremy in two years…and he was now gone forever, she still sometimes wondered if perhaps she could have done more to assert herself. Or if the fact that she'd fallen for someone so much more fragile in heart and spirit than herself, was her mistake and therefore the only thing to be blamed for how things ended.

Sensing her distance, Damon set down his third glass of bourbon and moved across to stand in front of her. Her face was turned away from his, towards the window where her emerald green eyes seemed to be staring far off into another age of time. He gently took her chin between his fingers and turned her face back towards him. Her eyes fluttered back into focus and she locked them with his cerulean blue ones. "I may have been gone for two years, Judgey but I honestly hardly know what to say to you half the time…you seem so 'sagely wise' all of a sudden. Sometimes I look at you and the look in your eyes makes you seem older than I am…and that's really saying something because I'm older than fuck." He gave her his signature smirk and she couldn't help but let out a soft smile as his deep blue eyes sparkled. "Com'on, Bonnie, you have to admit that this…where we're all at now is pretty fucking awesome, considering the shit we've been through to get here." His smirk widened into a genuine smile…though there was still a hint of teasing behind it… and Bonnie couldn't help the smile widening on her cupid bow-shaped lips.

"Ok, ok, you're right Damon I know…we really do have a lot more to be thankful for in the here and now. And I guess I do get a little…carried away with the analytical side of everything."

Damon leaned towards her, his smile deepening as she eventually turned back sparkling green eyes to meet his. "You know I've missed that…" He looked deeply into her eyes.

She cocked her head to the side, giving him a somewhat puzzled look. "Missed what?" Her perfect white teeth flashed as a soft laugh rolled off her tongue.

Damon raised a tentative hand to cup her cheek. His fingers lightly brushed the soft caramel skin there as his thumb trailed down to her mouth and brushed across her bottom lip.

_Bonnie's breath hitched in her throat and she thought her heart would literally burst from her chest cavity at any moment. _

"You're smile…and not the smile that you always plastered on as a fake mask to try and fool everyone into thinking you're all invincible…but the genuine one. The one that's _Bonnie. _You were always so much on the defensive; saving Elena at every turn. And then if it wasn't Elena's life you were saving, you were on the offensive, trying to concoct a new and more creative way to set mine on fire." He couldn't help the edge of mirth his voice held as a soft laugh escaped his lips. "You were always a hard ass, Witchy. Tough as nails and the badass bitch that always had her shit together. You were stronger than all of us. Even when you were at your weakest, you always had to be stronger. Sometimes I…I had this crazy urge to just…" He paused for a moment, searching for the words. Then he tossed his head carelessly towards the ceiling. "Take you away somewhere where you could have at least a day to just be _human. _Be _Bonnie the care-free seventeen year old… _that's of course when I'd seen you 'dead' for the first time." He inserted air quotations and Bonnie threw her head back and laughed.

"Hey that was a fake death, remember?"

"Yeah well you didn't see how freakishly _real _it looked from my standpoint." He half-circled her and then turned around to face her again, this time both hands shoved into his jean pockets as he cocked his head to the side, eyeing her pointedly. "You know you really had me freaked out that night. I just kept remembering how you told me that there was a 'slight' chance that you may not have woken up and that's all that my mind could think about…it just kept rewinding and replaying in my head like a broken record." He shook his head at the memory and Bonnie noticed a trace of discomfort and dread pass through his eyes.

She bit the corner of her lower lip and playfully slugged him in the shoulder like she used to do. "Hey, com'on it wasn't _that bad…_ she bit back a giggle and looked him square in the eyes. "Be careful, Damon…I might start to think you actually Care."

He shook his head at the all-too-familiar words that had since been a long-standing joke between them since the time she'd first uttered them. He smirked again and only conceded to answer her in kind; "We wouldn't want that now, would we." His eyes widened dramatically and then the two of them broke out into soft laughter.

"Ohh, good times…" She smiled somewhat wistfully as she observed the man before her. From his boot-clad feet to his black jeans and his classic black fitted T and leather Jacket, Damon was the same he'd been when she first met him. His raven black hair even hung in the same careless way, sweeping across his pale forehead, offsetting his stunning deep ocean eyes. But it was in his eyes that she could detect the change in him. Deep down, Damon Salvatore had come to some kind of revelation…an epiphany if you will, to what he really wanted in life and what mattered most to him. She never thought she'd live to see the day but here he was, standing in front of her…still the same charismatic, snarky, sarcastic, arrogant Damon…yet sincere, genuine and honest beneath the surface…and willing to lower his pride and become the man she had always known he was meant to be.


	5. My Bestfriend

Caroline sat just outside the casino entrance, her legs bouncing up and down anxiously as she fidgeted with her nails. She'd just gotten off the phone with Bonnie and now her nerves were more raw than ever. She didn't see how this was going to help; sure, she needed to act completely normal around Stephan but she didn't think that 'extra time' spent in his company was the best idea either. She could've easily called up Matt to give her a ride or even hitched a ride with one of the other girls…but no, Bonnie, her best friend-who had developed quite a conniving, devious streak in the last year or so-had to go and brew up some surreptitious plan with Damon for her and Stephan. _wait. Her and Stephan? There was no 'her and Stephan' oh my gosh, Care get it the fuck together! _she chided herself. Just then the sound of an engine revving into the parking lot, pulled Caroline's attention back to the present. She spotted Stephan climbing out of his black mustang, leather jacket-grey fitted T-clad and the most perfect of smiles on his face.

_Damn him to the mountain of Olympus. _Caroline thought to herself; he had no idea what that smile did to her every fucking time he aimed it at her. Ugh! Just then, the song on Stephan's radio blared into Enrique Iglesias' "I finally found you." It was like a movie as Stephan walked towards her with his hands in his pockets, grinning all the while.

"Hey there, Beautiful." He greeted warmly.

Caroline blushed; she couldn't remember anyone who had ever sounded so genuine and sincere when they called her beautiful; even when Tyler used that term on her, it had never given her that insatiable shiver down her spine or made her cheeks burn so crimson.

"Hey Steph." She greeted, her voice shaking slightly as he reached his arm around her shoulders, giving her a quick soft kiss on the forehead. _Damn it, she was puddling on the ground…she could feel it! _She tentatively met his deep emerald gaze and she almost lost it. She suddenly pretended to lose her footing and instead of clinging to him to steady herself, she fell forward, purposely out of his embrace and leaned against the pillar. "Oh! Guess I'm a bit dizzy…ahm! Shall we?" She smiled brightly as she hurried towards the car.

Stephan sensed a tenseness in her demeanor but immediately chalked it up to a stressful night-shift. "Alright, lets get going." He jogged to his side and climbed in, shifted out of park and backed out of the parking space. Once they were on the road, he slowed down to an easy sixty miles per hour, reclined back in his seat a bit and glanced over at Caroline. The blonde hadn't said a word since getting into the car and for Caroline, that was always a sign that something was wrong. She hardly stayed quiet for a full five minutes, always chirping away about something even if no one else seemed to be listening, it was just in Caroline's nature and even though she was now a vampire and a lot of things had changed about her, that hadn't. She had changed from the weak, whiny, girly teenager to the strong, grounded, and determined woman he saw sitting across from him…but she was still just as vibrant, cheery and animated…possibly even more so, if that was even possible. "Penny for your thoughts, Care." He directed to her softly.

She sighed heavily and turning towards him, she mustered the best nonchalant smile that she could and pushed all of the cheeriness into her voice that she could. "Oh I was just distracted, Dear! We were crazy tonight…at the casino I mean. Everyone and their grandma were in tonight at the slot machines, Black Jack, Texas Hold 'em, you name it! And of course, the bar was packed to the hilt as a result. I was running around like crazy, I'm surprised I didn't sprain my ankle in these ridiculous shoes. She groaned as she pulled off her 3" black heels and propped both feet up on the dash, massaging her ankles.

Stephan laughed softly, shaking his head. "I don't get why in heaven's name, they make you girls where those things when this job requires that you're on your feet the whole shift?! Plus, you're running back and forth, serving drinks in addition to bar tending…it honestly makes no sense to me. I mean I don't get how you girls can walk in those things anyway…when you're just out on the town…but working a full shift in them? I probably would've shot my foot off by now." She laughed and the bell-like sound of it warmed Stephan's heart. He couldn't remember the last time he'd heard Elena laugh like that…although hers and Caroline's laughs were very different; Caroline's was higher and more care-free…like a bird or a rippling brook in the spring, whereas Elena's was more smooth and calm like soft butter churning in the heat of summer. He shook his head…He had to admit, part of him enjoyed Caroline's laugh more but then he realized he hadn't heard Elena's in so long that naturally, he'd enjoy Caroline's.

"Ok, Stephan I can see it in your eyes…you're brooding again." She smiled at him somewhat reproachfully but Stephan only laughed more then.

"I'm not brooding, Care I promise…just thinking about things. That's all. Umm…I've been meaning to ask you…about when we were picking Stephan up from the airport and you-" Caroline's smile instantly faded and the tense air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Stephan pulled down the road that led the mansion and once they pulled into the long driveway, he stopped the car just before the gate, put it in park and turned towards Caroline. She wasn't looking at him. In fact her entire body language spoke volumes that she didn't want to be anywhere near him at that particular moment. Stephan grew concerned. Caroline had always trusted him implicitly and after he'd helped her through all those months of transition into a vampire, they'd become so close that he felt there was nothing about himself that he'd hide from her or anything about her that she would hide from him. Yet here they were in the small confines of his car and it felt like they were the furthest apart that they'd ever been. She was obviously keeping something…very serious, from him and he wondered if it had something to do with the fact that Damon had come home; had she begun to have those feelings for him that she'd had all those years ago when Damon had used her? Had those old feelings begun to resurface and was she scared to tell Stephan because he might judge her? His heart wrenched at the thought that she could ever think he would turn her away over something that she was incapable of controlling. He moved across the seat until he was close enough to touch her and he laid a hand gently over her small one. "Caroline…is this because Damon is back? Have you…have you started to care for him like you did before he left? It's understandable, Caroline and you know you can tell me if there's anything that-"

Suddenly, Caroline turned her face towards him, shaking her head vigorously. "No! No, Stephan please don't think that. I could never even consider revisiting that. I care about Damon as a friend, yes but lets face it, he used me and abused me back in those days…one too many times and even though I've totally forgiven him without a second thought, there's no way that I'd ever be able to move past that and consider him boyfriend material." She shook her head and laughed at the ludicrous idiocy of it all.

Stephan breathed a sigh of relief but his eyebrows furrowed as he let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. A wave of relief washed over him and he wondered why the thought of Caroline still harboring feelings for Damon, had agitated him so. His stomach had clenched up the moment he'd asked her the question and then when she genuinely denied it, reassuring him there was no such thing as harbored feelings, he'd felt so relieved that even now, a wide grin was spreading across his lips as he squeezed her hand.

_There was a part of Stephan that he was completely unaware of but whatever it was, it was thrilled that Caroline had no romantic intentions towards the elder Salvatore and somehow, that part of him just wanted to pull Caroline closer in that moment. _

"Ok so then what is it? You seem…I don't know…distant."

Caroline pursed her lips. How could she give him a sufficient answer without outing herself, lying to him and satisfying his curiosity at the same time? She didn't know but one thing was certain, she could never bring herself to lie to Stephan so even if she couldn't tell him everything that was on her heart-_because then, she'd be so screwed!-_she resolved she would give him enough of the truth to at least put him at ease. "I've got some things going on right now, Stephan…there nothing to worry about so don't you even start but…let's just say they are personal and I'm not…I can't talk about it right now because I haven't figured it out for myself yet. It's nothing that any of you need to be concerned with because it's totally a 'me' issue. But I promise I'm ok and I know that you're here for me and that means a lot." She mentally patted herself on the back for her diplomatic execution of her thoughts-yet skillful avoidance of the 'sensitive' details-and she was convinced that from the look on Stephan's face, he didn't suspect anything more and was-at least for the moment-satisfied with her answer.

"Well I can definitely respect that you need to work through things on your own first… I will say though I can't promise that I won't worry; you're my best friend and you know how I am anyway; I'm a worrier but especially when it comes to the people that mean the most to me and you're definitely high on that list so…no promises but I'll do my best not to bug you about it."

Caroline beamed at him and on a sudden impulse, she leaned over and placed a chaste kiss close to the corner of his mouth. _just a 'thank you' kiss won't hurt… _her inner voice reasoned…but then the other part of her…the raw, true part seemed to scoff in her face. _'thank you' kiss, my ass. _

Stephan was taken aback at how close her lips were to his own; for a moment, he froze in his seat at the sudden contact but then the sweet scent of strawberries and Vanilla assaulted his nose and he couldn't help but turn his lips to peck her on the cheek in turn. She pulled back and two shared a genuine smile; Stephan's was his classic broad grin and Caroline's was the most radiant smile that reached her crystal blue eyes, making the depths of them sparkle. He like to think that that smile she kept just for him…_he couldn't even imagine how he'd feel if she gave it to someone else. He reasoned it was just the protective side of him coming out…but then that other part of him…the raw, honest part seemed to scoff in his face. __**you'd be jealous, you know you would be…and you have no right to be, she's not even yours! You're with Elena.**_

Stephan shook his head vigorously. Where were all these bizarre thoughts coming from? He was with Elena and he knew that. And he was happy with her, completely happy! Right?

Suddenly, Caroline's soft voice broke into his brooding thoughts. "Thank you, Stephan…you've always been an awesome listener and a badass friend and I…I don't know I really have come to value that…a lot more than you probably realize." she bit her bottom lip as she smiled shyly. "Well lets get going huh? Damon and Bonnie are probably wondering what the hell is taking us so long." she winked at him suggestively and he only laughed as he shifted the car back into Drive…his heart felt like it was flying and rather than trying to dissect and analyze this strange, new feeling, he decided to just let it have its way. Besides, he hadn't felt his happy and carefree in months…and he was going to make the most of it.


	6. Never Had a Choice

That evening, Stephan called up Elena to see how she was doing. She answered but told him in no uncertain terms that she was in no mood to see him or anyone. She then briefly stated that she was staying at Matt's that evening and then promptly hung up without another word. Stephan shook his head but was a little surprised at the lack of disappointment on his part; he missed Elena, sure but for some reason this night…it felt _different. _He felt _different. _Deciding that it was just a passing fluke or his way of respecting her privacy, he decided to leave his cell phone in his room for the night and promptly joined the others downstairs. He spotted Caroline and Bonnie seated on the couch in the drawing room, by the fire and Damon-with his famous tumbler of bourbon-leaning casually against the fireplace mantel. Damon was the first to spot him and raised his glass, grinning broadly. "Ahh, it's the hermit crab! Come to join us humble folk in our endeavors to enjoy life to its fullest." He bowed dramatically as Stephan entered the room and his smile deepened when Stephan merely gave him an exasperated roll of the eyes as he headed to pour himself a glass of scotch.

"So how's Elena?" Bonnie was the first to speak and Stephan merely shrugged nonchalantly as he took a long swig of his drink.

"Elena's Elena." He answered simply but his friends detected a strong hint of resignation in his tone. Damon advanced forward and clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Now that's the spirit, Brother…don't let Elena's gloominess get you down…hey I know she's going through shit with losing Jeremy but honestly, she would be better suited if she let herself be around friends and she won't! So, its not our fault and she's definitely not our responsibility if she decides to go off somewhere and hurt herself…we've offered and she keeps pushing away so the way I see it, why sweat it." His voice was light-hearted with an edge of finality as he threw back the last dreg of bourbon…which he nearly choked on when his brother's next words fell on his ears.

"You're right, Damon. Elena's going to do whatever it is she feels she needs to do and if that doesn't include letting me in and allowing me to help her, than there's nothing more I can do for her; I feel very sorry for the loss she's enduring but this one, she's gonna have to figure out for herself." He said with finality as he swirled the remnants around in the bottom of his glass, tossing them back and setting the now-empty glass on the table-top.

Three pairs of eyes stared at him, dumbfounded as he poured himself another serving of scotch. He looked up and realized he'd suddenly become the center of attention. "What?" He spread his arms out to his sides. "It's true! I've done everything I can for Elena…I mean I'd do anything for her but at the same time, I can't sit here and keep living my life on the 'possibility' that she might need me at any turn; I have to keep moving on and keep positive or else, what good am I to Elena or to anyone?"

Caroline was the first to burst out of her seat and grabbing Stephan in a suffocating embrace. "Oh my gosh, Stephan I'm so so very proud of you! You're really growing and maturing through this! I mean I know it's hard but I can see that you're really taking it in stride and I'm just so proud of you for being the bigger man and admitting that you need to start taking charge of your own life and make yourself happy!" All of this came out in one breathless, rambling sentence that made everyone else's heads spin.

Stephan however, beamed as he hugged Caroline tighter, kissing the top of her head. "And I couldn't have done it without you, Care…you've been the driving force behind this; showing me every day that I never failed Elena or anyone and that making myself happy wasn't being selfish or giving up on her…it was just you showing me that it was time for me to really be a man and take charge of my own life without constantly thinking it revolved around one specific person. I can't thank you enough, Caroline; I don't know where I would be without you."

Caroline's blue eyes pooled with tears but she quickly swiped them away and smiled brightly. "Oh now don't go giving me all the credit."

"Yeah!" Damon interrupted from the other side of the room, where he stood leaning against the wall with his fourth glass of bourbon. "I mean geeze I was the one who brought you chocolate and played Taylor swift 'break up' songs in the car all day when I took you shopping, I mean I think that should account for _something!_" His voice was heavy with sarcasm and his eyes widened dramatically as the room only erupted with laughter. Damon only looked around at the laughing faces and shook his head, swirling his glass of bourbon absently in his hand. "See? This is what I get…" Taking a swig of bourbon, he continued. "…I try opening up and talking about my feelings, and everyone just laughs at me…tsk tsk…then they all wonder why I never went to group therapy as a child." He sucks on his teeth, shaking his head for affect which only caused Caroline, Stephan and Bonnie to laugh even harder.

Bonnie however was the first one to regain composure and standing to her feet, she moved next to Damon and placed a hand on his arm, attempting to sound sincere. "Oh don't worry, Damon…I'm sure I speak for all of us here when I say that we…we are…very interested in hearing about your…feelings." Stephan snorted, trying his best to cover his mouth as Caroline only giggled uncontrollably. Bonnie worked hard to subdue the laughter that threatened to bubble over but her eyes gave it away and only gained an exaggerated roll of the eyes and a huff, from Damon.

"Laugh if you like, Ms. Bennett. But I assure you…regardless of what all of you might think, I am…a human being with very _very deep and personal …feelings on this subject. _And believe me, they are …very strong and serious." He leaned in close to her, his eyes widening in an attempt to sell his ploy at sincerity.

Bonnie bit down on her lower lip, hard to keep from erupting in a fit of giggles once more but Damon saw past her poor attempts and setting down his now-empty glass, he glared at her with the smallest glint of playfulness in his glacial blue eyes.

"Never bite the hand that feeds your mouth, Missy. Now scadaddle!" He punctuated his last statement with a pointed smack to her backside which evoked a high-pitched yelp from her. He moved past the group towards the kitchen and just before he disappeared, he whipped his head around and winked at Bonnie which gained him one of her soft, radiant smiles in return. _If he died tomorrow, Damon Salvatore would be a happy man, knowing that he'd always managed to bring the most beautiful smile to Bonnie Bennett's lips; her smile was always his reward even when he knew deep down in his heart, he didn't deserve it. _

# # # #

At the request of her friends, Bonnie stayed the night at the Boarding house but even after they'd all said their goodnights and were safely tucked away in their cozy rooms, sleep eluded her. For a few hours, she'd lain wide awake in the spacious queen-sized bed, staring up at the ceiling, hoping that eventually her body would give up and collapse into a deep sleep…but that never happened. She then tried reading a bit out of an old romance novel she'd spotted on the dusty bookshelf at the far end of the room, but soon the words just seemed to blur together and before she knew it, she'd read over the same page at least five times. Sighing, she gave up and closed the book, tossing it off to the side. Just then, she heard a noise in the outer hallway; a door open and closed and then heavy, steady footsteps sounded down the stairway. She knew those footsteps belonged to none other than Damon Salvatore…_ never mind the fact that actually knowing the sound of his footsteps, made her feel like a creepy stalker. _She wondered what he could be doing up at this hour and deciding to satisfy her curiosity, she pushed the thick down-comforter off her legs, and swung them over the edge to the cold, cherry wood floor. She was wearing nothing but her famous off-shoulder PINK shirt and a pair of draw-string, mid-calf length, grey pants as she tiptoed out into the darkened hallway and padded cautiously to the stairs. Before she even reached the first step, Damon's soft, deep voice sounded clearly from the drawing room.

"It's not polite to sneak up on a vampire, Witchy."

She smiled shaking her head as she slowly descended the stairs and gained the entrance to the drawing room where a fire was already blazing on the hearth. She looked around and spotted Damon by one of the large floor-to-ceiling windows. He was shirtless and the pale moonlight piercing through the window pane, cascaded over his broad shoulders and muscular upper back; the light made his ivory skin nearly glow and for a moment, Bonnie stood breathless just watching him as he stood motionless, watching the stars.

"You know how long it's been since I've stood in this spot…just looking at the stars?" He asked quietly. Bonnie was unsure if the question was directed at her or if he was talking to himself… so she merely waited for him to continue. At length, he turned and looked at her; the side of his face, illuminated by the radiant moonlight took her breath away.

Bonnie couldn't move as she caught the reflection of the sliver moon, in his glacial orbs. She'd never seen anything or anyone so beautiful in all of her life; for a moment, Damon looked more angelic than an archangel and Bonnie wished she could just take this moment…this image of him and freeze-frame it forever.

He turned his attention back to the sky and sighed. "When I was growing up here…especially when I came back from the war…I had…the worst nightmares you can ever imagine. The things I saw were just…inhuman. It sounds cliché but you can never really know what…horror and carnage is unless you're elbow-deep in it. All the blood, broken bodies…some of them didn't even look like bodies after the northern regiments were through with them… you know I used to think that I was made for that kind of a life. That I could withstand any kind of horror and come out of it with all my wits about me but the truth is Bonnie, it changed me in way more ways than I would ever let on. And the only thing that finally pulled me out of it…or at least made it possible for me to live with my demons, was this spot right here. I spent endless nights after I came home just…standing here and looking out at the stars. I couldn't find it in me to sleep and honestly…I went like that for weeks."

Bonnie listened intently to Damon's words. She'd never heard of him speak so in depth about his past and his time in the civil war and she was enraptured with the sound of his voice as he spoke. She'd never really thought how an experience like that could so drastically change someone and for the first time, she saw Damon just as clearly as she saw herself in the mirror every day. She could see into the depths of his soul and she could taste the deep buried intense emotions that were hidden there. Everything that he'd ever gone through in his time in the war, and in life, the darkest moments of his existence were all hidden there but were now being laid open for her viewing and she nearly went breathless at what she saw. Not because she suddenly felt a disgust towards him, judgment or disdain…but because she finally really _saw Damon. _Not just as a vampire, as a friend or even as a man, she saw his _spirit _and his _soul. _Taking a tentative step closer to him, she waited for him to turn his gaze on her and when he did, she met his glacial blue eyes with the most open honesty and raw understanding that she'd ever felt.

Damon saw the deep emotion and understanding in the depths of her eyes and he felt like he was seeing her for the first time. She moved to stand behind him and as he turned his body half-way towards her, he felt her lace her slender fingers in his as she slowly grasped his hand fully in hers. His eyes deepened as he searched hers intensely…he suddenly desperately wanted to see every part of her that was hidden from him; her heart and her soul were things that had always eluded him but then Bonnie was never very open with those parts of herself, with anyone…not even Jeremy or Elena or Caroline had been privy to those parts of her and they'd known her nearly all of her life. In light of this, Damon knew that it was absurd for him to even be entertaining these desires but he couldn't help himself; there was something about Bonnie that had always drawn him in and it wasn't just because she was the only person who dared to stand up to him. It wasn't just because she was the only one brave enough and tough enough to call him out on his bullshit and not take any shit from him, she was and always would be a force to be reckoned with and Damon was no exception to that. She'd always dared him to be better and challenged him, causing him to second-guess himself at every turn and as a result, Damon respected the hell out of her and she was the only person he could ever say he fully respected and trusted. But even all this wasn't the only thing that drew him to Bonnie. For a moment, he was breathless as the moon caught the burning light in her deep green eyes and cast a mystical glow in the strands of her ebony hair. "I suppose—in a way—that experience made me realize that I was fighting for the wrong cause…it wasn't long before I was struck with the reality that nothing that the confederacy stood for, did I support or agree with."

"So is that why you were discharged?"

Damon smirked as his eyes drifted once again to the stars. "No, Bonnie…I deserted."

Her eyes widened as the weight of Damon's statement set in. "You—deserted? But how could you—I mean wasn't anyone who deserted considered an enemy of the confederacy? That would mean that you were—"

"Yes, I was considered their enemy and the law in those days dictated that any deserter was to be hung or shot on sight for his crimes."

"How did you escape?"

"I didn't really I mean, it wasn't like I was off somewhere purposely hiding; I was well aware of the consequences of my actions and to be honest, I was willing to accept them. I came straight home and I wasn't here for even two weeks before my father received the letter from my superiors…he was furious. I had originally told him I was on leave but I knew he'd figure it out sooner or later; I still can't help but laugh when I remember the look on the old bastard's face." Damon let out a mirthful laugh, shaking his head at the memory that had occurred over a century ago.

"But he didn't give you up…"

"No, not to be hanged or shot at least; he couldn't stand the disgrace of having an elder son executed for desertion; it would've spread through the papers a lot faster than say a dishonorable discharge—which he managed to secure for me by the way, at no easy feat I might add. He did however forbid me from ever seeing his face again."

"He disowned you…" Bonnie asked breathlessly.

"I honestly could've cared less, Bonnie. My father really wasn't the nicest guy on the block—he was pretty much a stone cold-hearted bastard and everyone knew it. The only thing that kept him in good standing in society was the only thing that mattered in that time; he had wealth, political position and most of the officials of Mystic Falls living in his very thickly padded breast pocket." Damon's eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. "There wasn't anything good or descent in his body and quite frankly, I was so relieved when the old bastard croaked. Of course, not long after, things changed—lives changed."

"You're referring to you and Stephan."

He nodded. "Katharine had been compelling Stephan for months—feeding off of him and somehow, everyone had missed it—well except for me; I'd sensed his odd behavior, the way he would look at her or follow her around. I even caught him sneaking out at night and back in those days, you didn't go anywhere with a young unmarried woman without a chaperone. I asked Emily—your cousin—about it since she was Katharine's closest handmaid and confidant; I figured she'd seen something. But she wouldn't tell me—it was like she really wanted to but something kept her from saying anything like she was scared or knew something I didn't." He paused for a long moment, his eyes darkening as he moved across the room to pour himself a glass of bourbon.

Bonnie settled on the chase nearby and waited for him to finish his story; chills ran up her spine and the hairs on her neck and arms stood on end because she knew what came next. But for some reason, she wanted to hear it straight from him.

"Katharine turned Stephan first—and I was there and tried to stop it; I didn't know what was happening but as far as I was concerned, she was trying to murder him and I wasn't going to let that happen. But…I wasn't fast enough and a few weeks after, she attacked me on my way back from the theatre—I even had a date with me that night but she…she didn't care, it was all the same to her; collateral damage." He took a long swig of bourbon, letting it burn slowly down his throat. "Stephan chose to complete the transition when he was bitten. But for me, I couldn't accept it. You can't imagine the burning tearing pain that rips through your body when vampire venom seeps into your veins. It's like you're on fire from the inside out and there's no way to smother the flames."

"Wait…so you're saying that someone has to complete the transition to a vampire or else…they'll die?"

"Yes, Bonnie. Trust me, it's nothing like twilight where you get bitten and voila, you're changed. You have to feed as soon as possible. It's the only way to survive and complete the transition."

"But you said you couldn't accept it…so how are you alive then if you didn't accept it?"

"There are only two choices that you have; feed and complete the transition or die. I chose the latter."

Bonnie sat silently, absorbing everything she'd just learned. Contrary to her previous beliefs that Damon had willingly chosen this life of death and blood because it was his 'nature' she now learned that Damon Salvatore had never wanted this life to begin with. It had never been a choice for him but rather a curse that he was forced to endure every day for the rest of his life. This new revelation put him in a drastically different light than ever before.

"Stephan found me—I don't know how. And He forced me to feed; I fought as hard as I could…which considering I'd just had the life sucked out of me, was a pretty weak effort if you can imagine. He knew though. He knew I didn't want this but—he just couldn't let go. He was always bad at that, never could quite get the hang of saying goodbye or leaving someone's life choices to themselves especially if it was someone he cared about. He could never respect the fact that I would've rather died then live the rest of my life just stuck—alive but never _living, _dead but never at peace."

Bonnie leaned forward in her seat, catching his gaze. Her green eyes shown with so much sadness and sympathy that for a moment, Damon felt like he'd entered an alternate reality. _Bonnie Bennett didn't feel sympathy or compassion towards him—at least not openly. _"Damon I'm…I don't know what to say I—I always thought that this was something you'd chosen because you desperately wanted it; because it gave you a sense of power and superiority over everyone else and—I never knew that you had your choice taken from you."

"Oh trust me, once I got a feel for it, there was a part of me that reveled in my unlimited strength; the ability to strike insurmountable fear into another human being just by bearing my fangs, oh…there's nothing quite like that rush!" His eyes glowed with a dark excitement that she'd seen often in the four years she'd known him.

"It's just that…that's how I _had _to be. I mean you look at Stephan and he lives every second of his life, beating himself up for what he is and blaming himself for all the shit that Elena goes through because he feels like if he could just change who and what he is; it would make everything better. Me? I don't live like that because I can't afford to let myself think that way. If I did, I would've gone completely out of my mind and I would never _stop._"

He punctuated the last word in such a way that Bonnie knew he meant as a vampire, he would've never found the control he now possess if he allowed himself to wish for a life that was now forever gone. She felt a new admiration and respect for Damon as she observed him. Sure, she'd hated everything he and Stephan stood for and Damon alone had caused so much pain and loss in her own life that at one point, she'd sworn to make him pay one day. But looking at him now, she realized that Damon was no different than anyone else; he lived with what he had and he did what he had to survive. He accepted his fate and he dealt with it, unlike Stephan who constantly mourned the path of his life and allowed himself to always feel less than worthy of anything better, Damon never denied who he was, he came right out with it and let everyone know 'what you see is what you get.' "I suppose it is better to accept one's life and one's soul for what it is…and to move on through life and try to make the best of it; rather than to constantly run away from who and what you are. I don't think anyone has ever found peace that way."

Damon turned and looked down at her. He loved her intelligence and honesty; there was never anything lost on the little witch. "You know, for a Bennett witch you have a hell of a lot of understanding for soulless creatures condemned to hell." He smirked as he downed the last bit of his bourbon, setting the glass to the side.

"Well to be honest, I have to disagree with you on the one point—I don't believe you're soulless _or _condemned to hell, Damon."

His eyes widened in surprise but a mischievous sparkle was evident in his deep blue eyes as he eyed her full on. "Why Bonnie Bennett! I never took you for a redemptive soul, believing in the salvation of all—I'm so touched!" he laid a hand over his heart, batting his long eye lashes playfully at her.

She rolled her eyes, standing to her feet. "Seriouly Damon you can't honestly believe that just because you're a vampire, you have no soul and are automatically damned!"

"I'm afraid I do, Sister. It's the only other option for beings like me; we're cold-blooded, vicious, calculating killers. And most of us don't make a distinction between the innocent and the guilty. How is that not an automatic death sentence?"

She walked towards him, griping her hands in front of her as she continued. "Because I just—I just don't see how someone like Stephan who refuses to lay a hand on any human being on account of a moral code, or you who never chose this life for yourself, would be condemned to a life of eternal damnation, just because of what you are! It just doesn't fit into the sequence of nature, to me."

Damon smirked to himself as he stood in front of her, meeting her distressed green eyes with a warm, slightly arrogant look of his own. "Why Bonnie Bennett, is that compassion I hear in your voice?" He raised his eyebrow at her teasingly, his smile widening into a full on grin.

Bonnie snorted but a smile was in her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Damon, its only concern."

"Sprinkled with Compassion?" He prodded, running the tip of his index finger along her cheekbone, down to the curve of her chin.

Bonnie's breathing hitched and he could hear her heart rate accelerate. "May—be a l—little."

Damon laughed softly, brushing a stray curl behind her shoulder, his fingertips softly brushing against the side of her neck. "Be careful, Bonnie—I might start to think you actually care." His eyes smoldered with deep warmth that made her body tingle and shiver.

She smiled knowingly at the long-standing joke between them. "We wouldn't want that."


End file.
